Pokemon Adventure Pt 4: Eruption in Hoenn
by Frabulator
Summary: Johto, Team Rocket, the league, and even Shonna, they are all finished. The Fired Up Fights continue with this new addition, Eruption in Hoenn. What new adventures await Kyle and his Pokemon? Can they some how find a way to enter into the League of Hoenn without clashing with the forces of Aqua and Magma? Find out now!
1. Team Who?

Author's Note, and Announcement to the Reader:

If you are reading this you have more than likely already read and finished my other stories prior to this. If you haven't, guess what, you need to read them! You will not be able to follow this story at all unless you do read the others 1-4, Fired Up Fights.

I have said this before, and I feel that I need to say it again. These stories have been written over a six-year period, and because of that the writing has improved in those years. The first story, though I am still revising it, is not as well written as the later ones.

This story is still rated PG-13, with little to no cursing. These stories may even fall in the PG range, but to make sure that I do not get any angry fans saying that it is a little graphic or intense, I am leaving it as such.

Please leave comments and reviews. Even if you don't like to, I really would like to know what you enjoyed or liked about my stories. The more feedback I get the more I can include in my later additions.

With that said, please enjoy this next addition to the Fired Up Fights saga, Eruption in Hoenn

**Chapter 1**

**Team Who?**

During those two weeks on the ship I kept to myself. The last thing I wanted was to draw more attention. The room I was in was small, only big enough for a bed, which was raised up on stilts, and a sink with a mirror. Under the bed was a small desk with a dresser, which only had a few drawers. The only times I left was to shower or use the restroom. Besides that, I ordered room service constantly. _After all, no since in NOT spending the money that I have building up in my bank account._

The day had come at last. I heard children running up and down the hallways of the ship all morning. People were packing their bags, and the majority of the passengers were already on the deck. We would be landing soon, but I had already thought it out and knew what the results would be. If I walked off the boat with the other passengers, someone would spot me, recognize me, and then BAM! Paparazzi. That was the last thing I wanted.

I jumped out of the bed, landing on the wooden floor. I raised my arms, balancing as I glanced up at Pichu. He was standing on the sink, on his tippy toes, trying to watch himself in the mirror brush his teeth. White foam was all over his cheeks and fur, and his little toothbrush wasn't quite little enough. In his small hands the thing was rather large, and he had to open his mouth as wide as he could to get it to reach his back teeth.

I smiled, picking up a blue striped button up long-sleeved shirt that was draped over the chair next to the desk. I buttoned it up, leaving the top three buttons undone as I put on my pants. They were khakis, ones that I have had for a while, but never really wore. _After the incident at the Indigo Platue I lost a bunch of my nice clothes._ I then turned around, hearing Pichu run the fosset and rinse. I walked to the desk, looking up at the bulletin board with a map of Hoenn that I bought from the gift shop. _Well, I didn't really buy it, I made room service buy it for me. Oh well, same difference. _I then glanced over at the ships souvenir blue prints, _another thing I had room service buy me. _I trailed my finger from my room, mapping my way to the storage containers at the rear of the ship.

"Pi, pi, pi!" Pichu danced as he walked up to me, tugging on my leg. "Pi, Chooooo!" He smiled, showing me his small white teeth.

"Lookin' sharp!" I smiled, bending down to pick him up. He laughed, running up my arm to sit on my shoulder. He then looked at the maps.

"Here we are." I said, pointing to our room. "And when we hear the dock whistle," I then moved my finger around the passageways of the ships blueprints. "We will be leaving out of here." I stopped my finger at the cargo bay. I then looked at Pichu. "Those stupid cameras." I smiled. "We're gonna' out smart them, arnt we?"

"Chaaa!" Pichu said, holding up his fist in front of the blue prints.

"Now, about where we are landing." I looked at the Hoenn map, running my finger to the town with the biggest harbor. "If I'm not mistaken, we will be landing here, in Lillycove." I stepped back, looking at the map. "Lillycove? Sounds like a pretty place. Hmm… but what about gyms…" I examined the map, and the brochures. "Lets see, it looks like the nearest gym would be in Fortree. Man, that's nearly Fifty miles from Lillycove. Next would be Lavaridge, then Rustboro, Petalburg…" I looked at the map and examined it closely. "My gosh, this place is laid out horrible. There are three gyms that are not even on the main island. Oh well, I suppose the quickest would be to go to the Dewford islands from there, get that badge, and then head up to Mauvill and back to Lillycove." I did some math, and tried my best to measure the distance with my fingers. "Wow… that looks like… at least a 6 month journey by foot. Good thing I got a bike. But I will need to avoid crowds. I guess the best time for me to travel would be at night. Yeah, that sounds like a plan." I then focused back on my path. "Now, after those six badges, I guess the next place would be Mossdeep Island and Sootopolis Island. From there, the Elite Four Island is about forty or so miles east." I groaned, throwing my head down in dismay. "I already hate this region, and I haven't even set foot on it yet."

_WHHHOOOOOOOOOO!_ The whistle blew.

Pichu and I both looked up. I smiled, grabbing my bag and shoving the maps and brochures down inside of it. "Lets go."

***_-Scene Change-_***

The cargo hold of the ship was cramped, and just like on the blueprint, there was an unloading door. We waited in the dark for the sound of the ships bridge to hit the dock. When it did I looked at Pichu and nodded as I twisted the knob on the door. I took a deep, closing my eyes as I opened it. It was daylight, something I hadn't seen in weeks. Even with my eyes closed, it burned. It took me about a minute to be able to open them, seeing that the door was on the far side of the dock, away from the passengers.

"Alright." I said in a whisper to Pichu, who was on my shoulder. "Lets get out of here." I held on to my bag tight, leaping the gap and landing on the dock. I raised up, looking around as I lowered the sunglasses that was on my head over my glasses. The place was warm, even too warm for me, and that just added to the tropical atmosphere of the area. Palm trees were all over the place, and in the distance I could hear the sound of some kind of native guitar playing.

I looked down the dock towards the unloading area and began to walk in that direction. The passengers were all piling out of the ship. As I was walking I looked to the nearby city. The place was booming. Pedestrians were walking around everywhere, into buildings, across crosswalks, and even on the beach, which the docks were connected to.

"This isn't going to be easy." I said, talking to Pichu as I watched people crowd into the boating area from the beach, which was connected by one wooden dock that branched off into the loading area. "To escape, that is."

As people began to walk by me on the wooden bridge I lowered my head, trying to hide my face. I headed off the deck, glancing over to the beach. _There looks like a path heading out that way._ I looked forward, seeing a pokemart and center a little ways into town. _I could stop there and get a better map._

"Hey! You!" I heard a man yell from behind me. I stopped walking, glancing in the bottom corner of my sunglasses. At that angle I could see a reflection of what was behind me, and in that reflection I saw a man wearing a blue bandana and a black and white stripped shirt.

I ignored him, looking forward and walking again.

"Hey!" The guy screamed at me as he ran up to me. He put his hand on my shoulder. He was taller than me, by almost a foot, and his hand was rather large. He spun me around, and I caught myself on the spin. I stood there, one hand in a fist and my knees bent. "You're quite the little punk, arnt you?" The guy grinned.

"What's it to you?" I murmured. _Crap… this guy knows._ I glanced around. People were starting to stare. _Son of a gun! Now I'll never get away._

"You!" he pointed at me again. "Tell me! Are you…"

I grit my teeth, ready to make a run for it.

"For Team Aqua?"

"Team… what?" I asked, raising my eyebrow.

"Pi?" Pichu tilted his head.

The man put his hands on his hips as he took a deep breath. "Answer! Are you for Team Aqua or Team Magma?"

I didn't answer at first, instead I shook my head and laughed.

"What?" He demanded. "Why are you laughing?"

"I would love to tell you." I smirked as I turned away. "But this isn't the place. Come on, and you can tell me all about your team."

"Sweet!" He smiled as he followed behind me. "Your wearing blue, so you must be Team Aqua!" He then pointed to Pichu. "You have a pokemon! It isn't a water type, but electric is good too!"

"Oh, so Team Aqua is water pokemon trainers?" I asked as we walked into town.

"What?!" He screamed as he grabbed his head in frustration. "Noooooo! You really don't understand Team Aqua at all, do you?"

"No. I don't."

"Here's how it is, kid." The man said as he put his hand on my shoulder again, stopping me in the street. "In Hoenn there is Team Aqua and Team Magma. Team Aqua, which is the best," he smiled, "uses Water, Electric, and Dark type pokemon."

"Well, I guess I fit that bill." I said, looking at my pokeballs. "But what about Team Magma?"

"Yuck!" He spat. "Team Magma Sucks! They use Fire, Dark and Steel type pokemon!"

"Hehe!" I laughed. "Well, looks like I fit the bill on that one too."

The man frowned as he looked at me. "Well, what are you, Team Magma, or Aqua?"

"Can I say both?"

"No!" He screamed as he took out a pokeball. "Answer! Magma or Aqua!?"

"Umm…" I turned around, looking as I saw a ton of people in blue outfits walking around. _Darn, this whole place must be a Team Aqua hangout. But, what the heck is a Team Aqua? Is a fad? _

"Answer now!" He screamed, attracting attention as he held up the pokeball high in the air.

"Hey now…" I said with a smile as tried to calm the guy down. _Lord, if I get into a fight here I'll have the whole town against me. That would completely destroy my 'low profile'. _"Hey look, I got an Electric," I said, holding up Pichu in my arms. "And a Water, and a Dark type! And I'm wearing blue! See, I'm a trainer like you!" I then laughed.

He sighed, putting his pokeball away as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder. "I knew you were like me, little bud! Team Magma SUCKS EGGSACUTE!" he screamed.

"Hoo-Raah!" The crowd of people screamed as they raised up their fist.

_Oh, my, gosh… this place is full of weirdo's…_ "Well, umm…" I said, getting out of his one armed hug. "It was nice meeting you-"

"Allen." He said as he held a thumbs up.

"Umm yeah, that's great, but I gotta go."

"Where too?"

"Um…" _Honestly, the furthest place away from you. _"Oh, you know…"

"You gonna beat up Team Magma?"

"Yeah, sure." I turned and ran down the street.

"Team Magma SUCKS EGGSACUTE!" He screamed again, and again the people answered back.

"Whoo-Haa!"

***_-Scene Change-_***

"My goodness." I said as I walked into one of the several department stores in the area. "This place is whack."

"Pi-chu." Pichu nodded.

I walked up to the desk, pushing the shades up closer on my face. The girl behind the desk looked up at me. "May I help you?" She then tilted her head. "Excuse me, but, do I know you? You look so familiar?"

"What?" I laughed. "Well, you know, people say that a lot, but I don't think so."

"But that Pichu, and that hair…" Behind herewas a TV, playing the news.

_"There is still no news about the run away pokemon master Kyle Gray."_

I gulped, as the TV continued.

_"Two weeks ago Kyle Gray vanished from the league at Johto and has yet to be seen again. If you have any information on the whereabouts of this trainer, please contact the news station."_

"I got it!" The girl snapped her finger.

I turned to look at the door. _Could I run without making a scene? I could have Pichu shock the girl and knock her out. No, that would be bad. _

"Your from the TV!" She then stood up. "Your that player for Team Aqua!"

"I'm tha-wha who?" I asked confused. _Well, that's better than being Kyle Gray I suppose._

"From the Poke-Foot-Ball Team Aqua! Your Pichu is a star!" The girl then jumped up on the table, putting up a fighting stance. "The best Zap-Runner Team Aqua ever had!"

"I'm sorry lady," I said, backing away from the counter. "I'm not-"

"Oh, don't worry." She said as she winked at me. "I wont tell anyone. It'll be our little secret."

"Yeah, that's great." I laughed as I changed the subject. "Can you show me where the maps are?"

"Of course." She pointed to an area in the back. "They are back there, next to the shirts."

"Thanks." I turned to walk that direction when I passed by a red striped button up shirt. It was long sleeved like mine, but it looked like a thinner material. I looked around. _If I got a different color shirt maybe people would stop confronting me about those stupid teams. _I picked it up, checking the size. _16, perfect. _I walked on back to the maps, picking up the biggest atlas they had.

I headed up to the counter, laying the items on the table. I looked up smiling, but my grin was quickly changed when I saw the expression of the once so happy cashier.

"Yes, you are right. You are not him." She then scanned my items.

"Why do you say that?" I asked.

She then huffed, holding up the red shirt. "Because no true member of Team Aqua would buy this!"

"Well… umm… sorry, but…"

"No!" she said, slamming the stuff on the table. "I'm sorry that I EVER confused you for a Team Aqua member." She then put out her hand. "That will be $500."

"$500?" I asked confused. "But, the shirt is only $10, and the atlas was $30!"

"You forgot processing and handling."

"What?" I stepped back. "What 'process' and 'handling'?"

"This handling," she said picking up the items. "And this processing." She then shoved the items on the shopping bag.

"Fine, whatever." I reached into my wallet; bring out five one hundred dollar bills. "Just give me my stuff." I grabbed the bag, and headed out the door.

_My gosh, this place is so weird. _I then looked up to the sky. "Though, I must say, this was better than the first day than my last journey."

I looked to the road. _This place is packed. I can't go down on the road now. I know I got lucky the last two times, but my luck may run out. I can't let anyone else see me._ I looked at the atlas, checking my area and distance. _Looks like I was right, about fifty miles Northeast from here is Fortree, and my first gym._

"Pi?" Pichu asked as I closed up the book, holding it in my arm.

I looked to the edge of the beach, spying a pathway into the woods. "Lets head in there, chill for the time being. We'll head out tonight." I then smiled. "You having a good first day?" I asked looking at Pichu.

"Pi! Cha!" he smiled.

"Great." I then looked to the woods again. "Lets hope it stays that way."


	2. Red Shirt in the Morning, Bikers Take

**Chapter 2**

**Red Shirt in the Morning, Bikers Take Warning**

Pichu and I waited for the town to quiet down, but it wasn't till about two am until it did. From the forest we saw the shops close up at ten, but the town was still booming. Even though it seemed the majority of the place was sleeping, there were still people roaming the streets, some of which were characters that I really didn't want to get involved with.

Pichu and I were up in a tree, sitting on one of the top branches looking down over the city. "This town is so high tech,_" _I spoke to myself. Nearly everywhere I looked I saw computers machines driving on the roads, sphere shaped cameras floating in the air, and hovering billboards that seemed to change adds when people walked by. Even the hotdog stands were automated, and it looked like you had to slide a card, or scan something in order to purchase anything out of it. The same thing went for the ice-cream, and candy machines too. But the thing that worried me the most about all the automated things, were the floating cameras. The darn things were everywhere, but that wasn't the part that got me. It was the question I had… where were they broadcasting too?

The mountain we were on was the only one around, so it made it pretty easy to look over the city and pick out a path. _The road, from what I could tell from the atlas, was called Rout 121. _I followed it out to the west with my eyes. _I need to stay on that road for about 35 miles, then get on Rout 120, and that should bring me to Fortree in 28. _I did some math in my head. _Yep. A straight path from here to there would be roughly 50 miles, but taking the road is a bit longer. _

"Oh well…" I said, tucking the map in under my arm. "Its a lot quicker to drive than walk." I turned my head, looking at my book bag, which was looped onto a limb. I smiled when I spied Pichu, wrapped up in his jacket and sleeping in my bag. His head was sticking out, with his goggles on. He was twitching his ear, like he always does when he sleeps, and squeaking out a little mouse of a snore.

"Hey, bud." I said shaking the bag. "Come on, Pichu."

"Pi…" Pichu spoke, lifting up one eyelid as he yawned. "Piii-cha!"

"Ready to get on the road?"

"Piii-cha." He nodded as he jumped out of the bag, landing on a limb. He then unzipped his jacket and threw it into the open bag.

"Yeah, it is pretty warm here isn't it?" I took the bag, stiffed the atlas in it. While it was open I spied my red striped button-up shirt. _Well… why not._ I took it out, grabbing the item holder with my biker stuff in it as well.

Pichu jumped on my shoulder as I slung my bag on. Slowly we made our way down from the tree. I dropped my shirt and item holder ahead of us, making it easier for us to get down.

When we landed I laid down my stuff and started taking off my shirt.

"Pi?" Pichu asked, adjusting his goggles as he jumped on the ground.

"Just changing shirts." I said, taking off the blue shirt and replacing it with the red one. I stuffed the blue one in my bag, taking out my bike capsule, sticking that and my item holder in my pocket. "Alright." I said, picking up my stuff and letting Pichu climb back on my shoulder. "Lets make our way back down."

***_-Scene Change-_***

It wasn't a long climb back down, only about ten minutes or so. We waited at the edge of the woods, watching people walk by until it was quiet for a bit. I already had my helmet on, and was waiting for the right time to throw the bike out.

"Now." I spoke to Pichu as I threw the capsule out of the woods. Before it opened we made a dash for it, and by the time the smoke settled, we were already on it, staring the engine. I looked around. "Good, no one in sight." I then focused my attention back to the path in front of me.

We were on the beach, a ways away from the tourist spot known as Lillycove. The moon was bright above us, with few stars visible. _Nights like tonight were great for traveling. _Everything was lit, shown by a light grayish blue cast. The tide was coming in, and I knew that if we were going to leave, it would have to be now.

I revved the engine, pulling it out of park and into first. Sand spat behind us as we drove over the shore, heading to Lillycove.

The closer we got, the more people we saw, but it was few enough that we didn't haven any problems. Within a few minutes we were at the lush city. Even though the stores were all closed, with the exception of the local bar, the pathways, docks roads were all lit up by street lights.

We slid onto the wooden onramp dock that entered the city from the beach. _Even though it said 'Pedestrians Only' on the sign, I really didn't care. _I smiled, driving down the path as I hit the road, heading out of the city.

I drove on, and eventually came to an intersection with a red light. I slowed to a stop, putting my foot out to prop up the bike. Tapping my finger on the handle I groaned looking around at the empty road. "Come on," I said. "I'm the only one here. Hurry up." Something then grabbed my attention as I looked to my left. It was a bar, one that obviously stayed open all night. The door had opened, and the glass reflected the moon, which caught my eye. Out from it I could see four men, wearing cut up t-shirts and old raggedy blue bandanas. Their details were quite apparent from the neon from the illuminated signs that littered the outside of the brick building. They looked at me, stopped talking, and then looked to their left. I followed their eyes, and in the mist of the parking lot I saw a swarm of motorcycles, most of which were beefed up looking hogs.

"Bikers…" I groaned. "Pft…" I laughed to myself as I looked at the intersection light turn green. "What a joke. I guess every town has some sort of scum in it." I revved the engine, accelerating and heading west out of the town.

About ten minutes passed, in the side mirror the town looked like nothing more than a yellow speck of light in the distance. I looked down, checking the time on the navigation system. "Wow, later than I thought." I glanced back up to the road. "Its already 3:30." I yawned, and saw a highway sign. "Rest area, huh?" I said, as it blurred past us. "Well, I guess I have been up for almost 20 hours now. Couldn't hurt to get some coffee, maybe stock up on some junk food.

"Pi?" Pichu's ears perked when he heard this. "Cha-Cha – Chu!"

"Okay," I laughed. "I'll see if they have any gummies for you." I then chuckled to myself. _I never should of ordered those from room service. Now that little guy is hooked on those little Gummie Tediersa. _

***_-Scene Change-_***

The rest area was deserted. We pulled in from the highway, bring the bike to a stop in the parking lot. I cut the engine, pulling off the helmet as I looked around. "Yep, not a soul." I then stood up, taking the key out of the bike and began walking for the building. _Bike will be fine. No one is even around. _

Pichu ran up behind me, jumping on my back and clawing his way up to my shoulder. I smiled, looking up at the very design oriented building. It was small, but oddly shaped... _it looked pretty cool, honestly._ The building was rounded, like a cylinder, but had a roof that was put on about a 20-30 degree slant. The roof also extended out beyond the walls, making it have an over hang with benches around it for a nice relaxing sit on a summers day. Behind the building was a small picnic area, which in the moonlight looked very calming.

We walked up to the automatic doors, which slid open. The inside looked a lot like a pokemon center, minus the poke-healer and Nurse Joy, of course. Everything was red and white. Rounded red sofas ran along the white walls, with chandlers hanging from the slanted ceiling.

I looked to the back of the main room. "There we go!" I smiled, walking over to a vending machine.

"Pi!" Pichu yelled, jumping off my shoulder and hitting the glass of the candy machine. "Piii…." He groaned, sliding down the glass as he hit the floor.

"Chill, littl' bud." I laughed, putting in a dollar and pressing 'B-2'. I watched as the Gummie Tediersa began to twist in the coil that protected it from dropping, but it must have protected it too much. The bag twisted, and turned, and then got stuck in the machine.

"CHUUU!" Pichu screamed, slamming against the machine, but the bag didn't move.

"Hang on," I said, getting back into my wallet. "Just let me get another…" I looked down to where Pichu was, but he was gone. "Pichu?" I looked around, but he wasn't there. I then heard something cling in the machine, and turned to see none other than Pichu, climbing inside with the candy. "PICHU!" I screamed. "Get out of there, right now!"

"Pi, Pi pi pichu!" He said, pointing at the stuck bag of gummies.

"No!" I screamed at him. "Get out right this second!" I then slammed my fist on the glass, scaring Pichu.

"Pi!" He jumped, falling and getting his tail stuck in one of the coils. "Pi!" he screamed, as sparks started to form on his cheeks.

"Oh no…"

"CHU!" Pichu send out a thunderbolt attack. Electricity surged through the machine. The lights got bright, and the money accepter went haywire. The numbers on the dollar amount began to flash, and then stopped on $999.99."

"Holy crap!" I jumped, watching the dollar sign stay the same as Pichu's attack stopped. He was finally able to wiggle out of the machine as he dropped through the door, rolling out onto the floor.

"Chu!" He squeaked and shook his head.

"Well…" I looked at the dollar amount again. "No since in letting these go to waist." I then punched all the buttons, getting every candy out of the machine, saving the Gummies for last. When I plugged in the last number, the bag fell. When it fell Pichu jumped into the door, getting his butt got caught, wedged into the flap hinged.

He stood still… then kicked…. "Pi! CHA CHA CHA!" He screamed.

"Oh boy," I laughed. "Hang on, bud, let me finish putting this stuff away." There wasn't nearly enough room in my bag for the candy, so I put them in one of my items holder. I did know, however, that Pichu would not be happy with just one bag of Gummies, so I put every pack we got in my bag for quick access later. I then walked over to Pichu, lifted the door and pulling him out.

"Pi – cha cha!" He smiled, holding up the bag of gummies.

"There now," I laughed as he opened the bag with his teeth and climbed on my shoulder. "Is that good?"

"Cha cha!" He grinned from ear to ear, biting off the heads of the Tediersa before devouring the body.

"Now, for me." I turned my head looking at the espresso machine a few dispensers down. I walked up to the machine, putting in my dollar and pressing the 'mocha' button. The dispenser made a grinding noise, then dropped a cup. Brown liquid began to fill up the paper mug, and soon the small door that held it, opened. I took the cup, holding it in my hand as I took a drink. I cringed, pulling the cup back. "Bleck!" I stuck out my tongue.

"Pi?" Pichu asked, tilting his head as he looked at me, part of a green Tediersa in ms mouth.

"Stuff's nasty." I smiled, taking another drink. _Normally I like coffee, but man, this stuff tasted like dirt._ I downed the rest of it, throwing the cup in the trash as we headed back for the door, but when it opened I was met with something unexpected.

The parking lot was full of lights, headlights to be precise. "What's going on?" I asked, looking to see a group of bikers all huddling around my motorcycle. "Oh great." I grit my teeth, running up to the group as the all looked at me. I stopped when I got beside my bike. They were still on theirs, parked and looking at me. The bikes were all blue, with some kind of white skull painted on them, and all the men had a blue bandana on. I was cornered, no were to run. That's when I noticed that they looked familiar. It clicked with me when one of them got off the bike and approached me.

"Hey punk!" He said, grabbing on my shirt. "We saw you in Lillycove! We wont let a Team Magma EVER come into out town!"

"That's where I saw you from." I grinned. "You are those duff's from the bar. What? Get too hammered over there? Why don't you get home to your mothers?"

I saw the group stand up off their bikes as they all approached me.

"No Team Magma…" The guy who was grabbing my shirt said, "Will ever say that about me!" He drew his fist back to punch me, but suddenly Pichu let out a Thunder Bolt that arched from us to him. The man let go of my shirt, screaming until the attack ended. When it did, the man fell to the ground, Pichu still did no move from my shoulder, still continuing to much on the Gummies.

"Ahh!" They all backed up, leaving the one knocked out on the ground in front of me.

"Come on." I smiled. "Are you wimps all show? Heck, I don't even know what this 'Team Magma' is, but if this is the best you got you might as well give up."

"What was that?" This deep voice said. Behind the group of guys I saw a large single headlight pull up. They all parted, letting this man in a very familiar motorcycle pull up beside me. He looked at me, and the closer he got the more I noticed where I saw that bike at before.

"What the?!" I turned around, looking at my bike, and then back to his. "Where did you get that bike?!"

"What?" The guy laughed, raising up the hood of his blue motorcycle as he stood up. "You think you're the only one who has an Akira Bike?" He then cringed as he looked at mine. "Oh man, I will never understand Team Magma. Why would you put stickers one a bike that rare?"

"What?" I turned to look at all the bumper stickers covering the front of my bike.

"And that color," He spat. "Disgusting."

"Pi-chu…" Pichu narrowed his eyes, glaring at the guy as he pulled on his goggles.

The man then raised an eyebrow. "If you are team Magma, why do you have an electric type?"

"What is it with you people!?" I screamed, grabbing my hair. "Team Magma, Team Aqua, what the crap?!"

"No one talks about our team like that!" They all screamed as they took out one pokeball each.

"Hold it." The one that got off the Akira Bike said.

"Boss?" One answered back.

"I'm going to teach this kid…" he said, taking out two pokeballs. "What he gets when he crosses Team Aqua!" He threw out the pokeballs, and in the red light stood a tall Cacturne and a Walrein, which was the size as a snorlax. All the bikers stepped back as I examined the pokemon that stood in front of me in the parking lot.

"What?" The leader said as he laughed. "Little Team Magma scared?"

"I have never seen those pokemon before." I said, looking at the cactus and walrus that stood in front of me. "I have read about them, but ever actually seen them."

"Amazing pokemon, are they not?" He then crossed his arms and smiled.

"Hump. Figures. So far this region has disappointed me in layout, trainers, and now even pokemon."

"Are you making fun of my pokemon?" The guy yelled.

"Not so much the pokemon," I smiled as I took off the ball from around my neck. "More so the trainer."

"Okay, boy! Put your money where your mouth is!"

"Gladly." My ball flew out, and in the darkness of the night Arcanine's embers glew red.

"A fire type!" They all screamed. "Team Magma!"

"Oh My Gosh!" I screamed back. "You people are insane!"

"Shut up, Team Magma!" The leader said. "Water will ALWAYS have the advantage over fire! Walrein! Use Bubble Beam!"

I watched as the walrus blew out a stream of bubbles that flew at Arcanine. Arcanine raised one eyebrow, letting the bubbles hit him, then pop on contact. He turned around, looking at me with a confused expression like _'is this really an attack?'._

"WHAT?!" All the bikers screamed.

"No way!" The leader said, grabbing his bandanna and screamed. "NOOO WAAAYYYYY! How can my most powerful attack have no effect on a Team Magma fire pokemon!?"

"Most powerful?" I shook my head, shocked. "My gosh. Arcanine, use Flamethrower."

In an instant the make-shift battle ground in the parking lot was covered in flames. All the bikers stood back, confused and amazed at the amount of fire put off in the attack. When the flames subsisted, both Cacturne and Walrein were knocked out."

"No way!?" The leader said as he recalled them. He then looked back to his group of bikers. "Quick! Throw them all out!"

"All of them?!" They questioned.

"Yes!" He answered. "No Team Magma will beat us!"

I watched as they all threw out one pokeball each. Wingul were flying around, Corphish were crawling about, and a few Carvanha were splashing on the ground like a Magikarp out of water.

I recalled Arcanine, and turned to raise the hood on my bike.

"Oh look!" The leader said. "I knew the little Magma was too chicken to fight!"

"This isn't a fight." I said climbing on my bike. "This would be a slaughter."

"Ohhhh!" The group yelled. "Yeah! Magma Sucks Eggsacute! Team Aqua wins!"

I shook my head, sliding on my helmet. "I meant you would be slaughtered, idiots. Pichu."

"Pi?" He tilted his head, looking at me as I started the engine.

"Use Thunder. Wipe them all out."

"Pi!"

From behind me I could hear the conversations starting up. "Hahah!" The bikers laughed. "We scared him off, he's ready to run!" I saw Pichu jump from the cup holder, onto the back of the bike.

"Pi…. Ch…." He said, powering up. I heard thunder in the background, and the group of bikers went quiet. "CHUUUUUUUU!" Right then a bolt of lightly came down and struck the Winguls flying in the air. The electricity then bounced off of them and hit the water pokemon on the ground, and then ricashaded over to he bikers.

"Ahhhhh!" They all screamed as I began to drive away, hearing all of the pokemon and bikers hit the ground.

"Pi-cha!" Pichu said, jumping back in his cup holder and munching on more Gummies.

"Pichu?" I asked. "You didn't kill them… did you?"

"Pi?" He tilted his head at me, and then shrugged.

"Great…" I groaned, then sighed. "Man, I really need some sleep. I don't think I wouldn't of lost control back there if I had seven hours or so." I then threw my head back, laughing. "Man, what happened to the guy who only got two hours a night, tops? Its hard to believe that so much has happened in such a short time." I looked at the speedometer. _I had been accelerating slowly since the take off, and was now going nearly 100 MPH._ I let my hand ease up on the handle, slowing down the bike. As we drove, I saw a sign blur by. _Safari Zone?_ I asked myself. "I'm not really into the pokemon selection here… but…" I slowed down the bike, taking the exit off of the highway to the right. "It would be nice to get some more sleep."

At the end of the off ramp was an intersection. The light was red, cautioning me to stop, but there were no cars anywhere. I hung a right, heading down the road to the Safari. "If this place is anything like the one in Fuchsia, there should be plenty of shacks to lay low in for a few hours."

It was a couple of miles down the road, but eventually I came to the entrance. It was a massive iron gate, which opened to a rock path that lead to a huge building… that is, it would have, if the gate _was_ open. It was chained up, with a sign hanging from the latch.

"Closed"

"Hmm." I glanced over to the rock pillar the gate was attached too and saw another sign. "Safari Zone," I read. "Opened 10am –8pm." I then noticed a picture of a video camera below it. "24 hours video surveillance." I then looked up, noticing a camera looking right down at me. The lens moved, zooming in.

"Nice." I chuckled as I turned the bike around, heading back the way I came. A little ways up the road I went into an ally, turning off the bike and putting it away.

"Pi?" Pichu looked up at me as he jumped on the dirty street.

"We are getting into that place." I said with a smile as I took a pokeball off my belt. "Incognito."

"Chu?" He tilted his head, looking at me confused as he continued to munch on the gummies. He then stuck the back over his head, only to get it stuck. "Chu! Chu! Chu!" He squirmed.

"Ahh…" I groaned, "Hang on." I picked him up, taking the bag off of his head and tossed in on the dumpster behind us.

"Chuuu…" he looked down sad, at the empty wrapper.

"Don't worry." I said, placing him on my shoulder. "Thanks to you there are plenty more in our book bag." I heard something behind me, and turned my head to see a floating camera buzz by. It then hummed, and backed up, turning to pier down the ally way.

I wrapped my hand over Pichu's mouth as we dove behind the dumpster. "Shuu." I said, putting my finger over my mouth.

"Beep-Beep-Beep…" The camera hovered. Then a red light, like a horizontal laser, projected out of the machine. It ran up the walls of the ally, and then back down, scanning the crevasse between the buildings.

"Rraaaow!" I Skitty jumped from far back in the ally way. It knocked over a trashcan and ran past the camera, hanging a left and bolting down the road with a Quick Attack.

"Alert! Alert!" The camera spoke in a very automated voice as it took off after the frantic feline.

"Man, I keep hating this place more and more." I threw the pokeball into the ally way, making Pideot appear. I ran up, jumping on her back as Pichu sat on her head. "Lets get out of here before more show up." I pointed to the Safari Zone, and we took off.


	3. The Road that Fortree's

**Chapter 3**

**The Road that Fortree's**

"Arrr…" I said, falling on my back as Wingul flew above me. The sun was rising, and all the pokemon were beginning to wake up. The sky was cast in a reddish violet color, which made the clouds stand out vibrantly.

"Rrrraaa!" I screamed, grabbing my hair as I yelled to the sky. "Why are their no rest areas in the Safari Zone!?"

"Pi?" Pichu asked, looking at me and tilting his head. "Pi-cha!" he put up a arm, encouraging me to go on.

"Oh be quiet," I groaned, rolling over to hear a crunch of a wrapper under my head. Opening my eyes I saw a Gummie Tediursa wrapper opened and empty on the ground. "What?!" I screamed, picking up the plastic and looking at Pichu, who was twitching and a little shacky. "No!" I said, pointing my finger at him. "No! No more!"

"Pi-Pi-Pi-Pi-Pi-Pi-Pi-Pi-!" He franticly screamed at me.

"No! This is your ninth bag since last night! No, no and NO!"

"CHUUUU!" He screamed, letting out a thunder shock that made my hair stand up on end.

"Ahhh!" I yelled, falling back on the ground again. "Fine!" I said, jumping up on my feet. "If you want to act like that, you little rat, then you can spend the rest of the day in your pokeball!" I took out his dreaded Pokeball, which was tucked away in my pocket.

"Pi…" His eyes got wide as he began to shake his head, pleading not to go in. "Pi-Pi-Picha-chu!"

"You should have thought of that before!" I screamed, recalling him as he turned to run. The light hit him in the foot and into his pokeball he went.

I looked down at the ball as a frown came across my face. "Maybe I shouldn't have done that." I said, but then dismissed the thought. "No. It's good for him. At least now maybe he will take me more seriously." I shoved the ball into my book bag as I walked on through the woods.

"My gosh…" I looked around, trying to find any sort of shelter. "Nothing… nothing at all." I hung my head as I kept walking. "Oh my goodness. Its probably 7am now… that would mean I have been walking for 4 hours or more… which would mean I have been awake for almost 24 hours… that would mean I havent ate in nearly 10."

I felt my vision began to blur, and then everything went spinning. "No." I shook my head. "I can't stop here."

_"Why not?"_ I heard a voice. I turned around, but I didn't see anything. _That sounded familiar… but I can't quite place it. It was defiantly a guy. _

"Who's there?" I screamed.

_"Just us."_

I opened my eyes wide as the voice became clear to me. "No!" I screamed. "I'm not insane!" I turned and began to run. I ran past trees, pushed through bushes, and jumped over rocks. _I know that voice! But it can't be._ "Your dead!" I screamed, closing my eyes and seeing his mangled body crushed underneath rocks. "Darnit, You are DEAD!"

I suddenly tripped, getting my foot caught on a root. My head hit the ground hard, and everything suddenly went back. But one thing stayed, the voice that echoed through my head. _"I swore I would have my revenge on you, Kyle. Ha-Ha-Mqua-haha!"_

***_-Scene Change-_***

Everything was black, even when I opened my eyes, all I saw was nothingness.

_"You let her go,"_ I heard Ricky say. The words echoed through the black void. _"You let her go… I love little flowers like that… I love to make them bloom before I kill them."_

"Don't you touch her!" I screamed, running into the darkness that surrounded me. With every step the sound of my feet echoed through the darkness. It was hard to move, almost like I was sinking.

_"Why not?" _Ricky's voice asked. _"You never did. Sounds like she needs a good man… or maybe a bad one!"_

"You're not a man!" I screamed, turning around and looking behind me.

"What about me?" I heard another familiar voice say from behind me. I turned around, seeing that ol' hick Travis standing there with a sinister grin. "You know, I might not have got that pussy, but her boobs are great."

I tried to swing my fist, aiming it at his face, but instead he caught it. I tightened up my other, swinging it at him on the other side, but he caught that punch too. He then sneezed my fist, making them pop.

"Ahhh!" I screamed, bringing my foot back and kicking him in the crotch. I saw him wince as he vanished and I fell on the dark ground. I looked at my bleeding hands, seeing the bones bending in ways it shouldn't.

_"I swear I'll kill you!"_ Ricky's voice screamed from behind me. I turned and saw his battered body under boulders. Blood was everywhere, and he was clawing his way to me. _"RRRAaaaaa!" _He screamed as his eyes began to turn bright red. The skin on his skull begin to tare, and horns appeared as his jaw dislocated. "I'll Kill You!" he screamed, as his broken body turned into the bloody form on the nearly finished Mew Three. Its swords clashed into the ground as he clawed towards me, still screamed in Ricky's voice, _"I'm going to kill everyone! You will know my pain! I'm going to beat that little flower of yours!"_

"No!" I screamed, standing and feeling pain as I formed my fist in front of my face. "You will never hurt her!"

Mew Three then stopped. It grinned, as it slammed his sword into the ground. It cut into the darkness, slicing a hole that made light appear from it, and from the light rose a form that I hadn't seen in over a year. It was Shonna's body. She was beaten, clothes torn, and blood all over her.

"No…" I said, running to her.

I saw Mew Three's face grin as Ricky spoke again. "My little flower…" It raised the sword over her heart.

"No!" I screamed, "NO!"

***_-Scene Change-_***

"NO!" I screamed rising up and throwing a wet clothe off of my head. I looked around, and couldn't see anything. _My glasses were off, but I knew I was in a place I had never seen before. _I franticly felt around for my glasses. It felt like I was in a bed, and when I found my glasses on a nightstand, my suspicions were settled.

I was in a room, one make of what looked like large branches. There were two windows, one on my right and left, and a doorway with out a door that lead out to a wooden rope bridge. Out the windows all I could see were greenery, and oddly enough, it looked like treetops.

I glanced around, and noticed that all the furniture was wooden as well. It was then that I felt my side. "My belt!" I screamed, looking down to see that my clothes were changed. I was wearing a green button up shirt and dark brown pants of some kind, but that wasn't what bothered me… the belt with my pokeballs was missing.

I jumped up out of the wooden bed, landing on my foot and falling on the floor. "Ahh!" I groaned, grabbing my foot. It was swollen and bandaged up. "What the-?" I franticly unwrapped the cloth that was on it and saw that I had a really bad sprang. "Oh well." I said, standing up as I sat back on the bed. "Lets see if it is out of socket." I then wrapped my hands around my ankle, pulling up and making it pop. "Ahh!" I screamed. "Looks like its still in place." I then twisted my foot and stood up again. "Where is my stuff." I looked around everywhere, and in the far corner of the room sat a table with my clothes, bag and belt on it. I walked over to it, ignoring the pain as I shifted through my stuff. _There's my belt with my pokeballs… here's my bag, and here…_ I opened the bag, pulling out a pokeball. "Pichu." I then felt my neck. "Flew…" I pulled the necklace, holding Arcanine's pokeball in my hand. "And I still got this."

I turned around, looking out the window. "Well, I wasn't robbed." I then looked down at myself. "But I was stripped… though, I don't know if that would be a bad thing, or good?" I then smiled, and laughed. "Oh man, what kind of mess am I in now?"

_Tap-Tap-Tap_

I spun around, hearing footsteps that sounded like they were getting closer. I dove and put my back to the wall, looking around and grabbing the first thing I could get my hands on, which just happened to be the chair. _I don't know what was going to come through that doorway, but I know I would be ready for it. _

The steps grew closer and closer, stopping outside of the shack,_ or whatever this thing is._ I was ready to swing, but when I saw the blue shoes and white stockings pass into the room, I hesitated.

She was tall, maybe even taller than me, and looked like a couple years older. Her hair was long and purple, pulled back into a ponytail and spiked up like wings on either side of her head. She wore long white stockings with blue low hilled shoes, and a long blue aviator jacket, which she doubled as a skirt. She also had a blue aviator hat and gloves on as well, which she cut out wholes for her hair and fingers.

She came in, turned, looked at me with a puzzled expression, and then put her hands on her hips. "Is something wrong with the chair?"

"What?" I turned my head, seeing me holding the chair off to the side of my body, mid swing. "Oh… I um…" I put it back on the ground. "You know… just thought I would… um… check for…." She starred at me blankly. _Nice Kyle. _ "So where am I?" I asked, changing the topic.

"You are in the lovely city of Fortree." She smiled, putting her hands behind her. "But, I must ask, what is the world famous Kyle Gray doing is Hoenn?"

"What?!" I jumped surprised as I looked around at my stuff.

"Oh, don't worry." She waved her hand. "I know how it is. You don't want anyone to know. Its okay, your secret is safe with me." She then turned around, and looked outside, resting her hands on the window seal. "In fact, this place would be the best in Hoenn to hide from the paparazzi. Nobody here battles with pokemon, or even has a TV."

"Really?" I asked, looking at her. "Why not?"

"It is because we all live in peace with pokemon." She then stuck her hand out of the window, letting a Swablu land on it. "We have no postage, no amusements, no factories. In fact, the only place that has electricity is my place." She then turned, smiling as she stood. "Come on, I'll give you the tour."

"Yeah," I turned away, seeing my clothes and blushing a little. I shook my head, _no! I already have Shonna, don't even think like that. But she has left me for over a year. Maybe…_ I stuffed my clothes in my bag, taking out Pichu's pokeball when I did. "Come on out little bud." I pushed the button, and in the red light Pichu appeared. His ears where tucked down, and his hands were over his eyes. He shook his head, looking up at me and crying.

"Pi-Pi-cha-CHU! Pi-Picha!"

"It's okay." I smiled, bending down and letting him run into my arms. "Its okay little bud." I hugged him close, letting his tear catch on my green shirt. He then looked up at me with a sad face.

"I'm sorry," I said. "But you need to be more obedient. I can't let your actions go unpunished."

"Pi…."

"Oh, calm down." I laughed, placing him on my shoulder. "Our friend here… ummm… What's your name?" I pointed to the girl that was starring at the whole scene.

"I am Winona." She said, bowing down and slightly lifting up her jacket/skirt in curdiousy.

Pichu was still sniffling on my shoulder when we walked out. The sun was bright. I held my hand over my eyes, looking out to see that we were on top of the trees. From this view you could see out for miles, and it was nothing but forest. I then looked down to my feet, seeing that I was on a porch made out of what looked like tree limbs. "So how long was I out?" I asked as Pichu and I followed her across the wooden bridge.

"I am not for sure." She said. "But I found you collapsed on the ground just out of town at about 10 this morning." She then turned to look at me as we walked. "The Shrumish that live around these parts are very finicky. They always spray out stunspore when they see the color red. I would guess that your shirt is what set them off. I hope you don't mind, but I changed your clothes." She then blushed, as her eyes grew big. "Please don't take that the wrong way, it's just… incase you left into the woods again, I was afraid the Shrumish would -."

_She changed my clothes?_ I looked down at myself. _Well, they could be girl's clothes. Hmm… I guess I wouldn't mind wearing her clothes, is kinda weird, but … ya know. _I changed the subject. "So, there is something that has been bothering me ever since I got here."

"Oh?" She asked, as she turned back around. "What would that be?"

"What is the Team Aqua and Magma stuff that people are talking about?"

She didn't say anything for a long time, until we reached another house that was attached by the bridge. "I do not posses that answer." She said, turning around to face me again, stopping at the house. "But Ms. Willow does." She then led her hand over to the doorway leading into the house. "She is the elder of this town and would be able to answer your question better than I could."

I walked by her, looking into the house and seeing a table with an old lady sitting down. She had a cup of tea in her hand and, for some reason I was brought back to when Shonna and I visited Granny. I smiled, remembering the look on her face when I told her _"I will never go back to that woman."_

"Oh," the old lady said as she turned to look at us. "Hello there. I am Diana Willow, but everyone here calls me Gran." Her eyes then got big as she glanced over to Winona. "Is this the young lad you have told me about?"

"Yes it is Gran." She smiled.

"Well now." She said, standing up. "Let me go get you young sprites some tea."

"No," I said, "Thank you, but I'm okay."

"Tea is good for you." She ignored me, getting two more cups and sitting them on small round table. Winona pulled back one of the four seats, sitting down as I did likewise. "After all," Gran continued. "Tea helps fight off the StunSpore."

"Gran," Winona cut in. "You say that about everything."

"Well then I guess tea helps fight off everything, then doesn't it?" She smiled sitting down with us. "Now, young man, what did you have for me? A question?"

"Ever since I got here," I began. "I have heard lots of talk about Team Aqua and Magma. What is that?"

Gran took a deep breath as she sat down her tea. "That is a long story that would begin nearly forty years ago. Tell me lad, would you happen to know anything about an organization by the name of Team Rocket?"

My blood went cold at the mere sound of the name. "Yes. More than I want to as a mater of fact."

"Then that makes things easier to explain." Gran continued. "About forty years ago Team Rocket began as a organization of thieves and gangsters. They comprised unions around all the major regions, each with their own name, sharing the same goal and leader. Kanto was the head quarters, so it kept the name Rocket. Johto was given Luna, Hoenn was Caelum, and Sinho was named Galxia. All the organizations worked together with trade routs back and forth for a while, but when a change of power was in order, chaos broke out. The members of all the regions began war with one another. The strongest trainers from each group were there forth called to battle. The fight lasted for years, but it was only from the combination of the two groups Rocket and Galxia that the war settled. Luna and Caelum were vanquished. Johto's group, seeing the power that Team Rocket had, joined their side, converting over under the rule of Giovanni, but Caelum had a different plan. The group from Hoenn split and formed two sub-groups, calling them selves Aqua and Magma."

Gran paused, taking a sip of her tea.

"So once they were all friends, and then there was a war?" I asked. "Luna gave up and combined with Rocket and they joined forces with Galxia to defeat Caelum, but during the fight Caelum split and formed Aqua and Magma?"

"You are following quite well." Gran smiled. "Yes, Caelum split, but in their divided form they knew they were not strong enough to defeat the massive army that was approaching. Each one then decided to try their hand in resurrecting the two legendary pokemon that lay dormant under this island. Aqua tried to find the water pokemon Kyogre, while Magma tried to find the fire type Groudon. Both of them failed and lost the mafia war."

"So what happened to Rocket and Galxia?" I asked.

"Rocket, which was then lead by the strongest trainer left by the end of he war, Giavanni, continued their operations in Kanto. The last I heard, they did have smaller bases in Johto and Hoenn, but my information is rather dated."

Once again, my blood went cold. I said nothing, however, and let her continue.

"After the battle, Team Rocket and Team Galxia divided. You see, the leader of Galxia. Cyrus, did not get along well with Giovanni, and thought that he ran things more half-hazardly than well. Cyrus declared his group's independence, and with that changed the name of the organization to Team Galactic. Team Galactic completely broke away from Team Rocket and continued their organization in Sinho."

"So why all the 'Team Aqua' and 'Team Magma' stuff now?"

Gran then shook her head. "The truth behind the names is almost all but forgotten in today's society. Few know of the true story behind of it. About ten years ago Hoenn started this television show that featured this new type of game. Pokemon trainers enter this show and battle in a torment style competition. Every month they have a new group of competitors, and the winners receive cash prizes." Gran then sighed. "Honestly the show started for good purposes, but more and more every month the show became less about battling and more about the trainers. Before long the show turned into a reality show, and the competitors broke off into two groups, taking the names of the two groups that divided from Caelum."

"Team Aqua and Team Magma." I sighed, resting back in my chair.

"Yes." Gran nodded. "In this show you are either on Team Magma or Team Aqua, and depending on that the trainers can only use certain types of pokemon. People on these islands are so crazy about this show that mass gangs have populated areas all over. Whole cities are either for one team or the other, and if you support the wrong team… well, lets just say that deaths are not uncommon around here."

"Wow…" my eyes grew wide. "It's almost like the two mafia groups are back."

"Yes, but instead of fighting a world war-"

"They are fighting a civil one." Winona chimed in. "You see Kyle, Gran knows all the history about Hoenn. Better than anyone I have ever met."

"If you plan on staying safe in this region," Gran said, standing up and taking her empty teacup. "You best not wear red or blue. That green shirt is very nice." She then paused. "Winona, doesn't that shirt look a lot like Wallace's-"

"Well Gran!" Winona cut her off as she pulled me and Pichu out of the seat. I stumbled but stood up. "Thanks for the tea and info, but I got to finish showing Kyle around."

"Oh, Winona?" Gran asked as Winona shoved me out the door. "I think he a very nice boy for you."

"Gran!" She blushed as we ran out. She then looked back to be, blushed more and turned away. "So, yeah, that was Gran. She's a little crazy sometimes." She laughed as we kept walking. Ahead of us was another rope bridge, which we crossed. Winona talked about another hut, and then we went across another bridge, which she then continued telling me about other people.

I tried my best to pay attention, but what Gran said stuck in my mind. I looked down to my shirt. _Who the heck was Wallace?! Why am I wearing his clothes? I liked it better when I thought I was wearing hers. God, this is gross._ I then almost threw up when I thought about something else. _Why would she even have his clothes? Oh my goodness! Yuck!_

"Are you okay?" Winona asked. "You are looking pail."

"What?" I asked, laughing as felt an anime sweat drop go down my face. "Nah, I'm fine, just fine." _Ahhh! That makes me wonder who's pants these are?! Yuck! Yuck! Yuck!_

"Oh, okay." She then smiled as she led me to a latter. "Here, follow me." She began to climb down.

"Pi?" Pichu asked, watching her.

"Alright." I went over to the ledge, looking down and noticing that we were about thirty or forty feet in the air. I gulped. _Oh man… I hated heights. It's not so bad when I have a rope tied on to me, or a pokemon to carry me… but this?_ I looked at the wooden latter. "Well, if she went down it, I guess its safe." One step at a time I headed down the latter, and before long I was at the bottom.

"What took you so long?" She asked.

"Eah, ya know." I laughed.

She giggled, turning and running on this path that led into the woods. "Come on, my place isn't too far away."

"Alright…" I walked, following the path that she ran on. Before long she was out of sight, and all I have left to go by was the slightly worn in path that lead me deeper into the woods.

Some time passed before I figured out where the road was leading me. In the clearing in front of me I saw castle looking building, made of layered concrete bricks, with a giant Pokeball on top of the wooden double doors. The sign outside of the structure had the words 'Fortree Pokemon Gym' engraved in it.

"No way." I said, looking at the building. I then turned around, not seeing anyone behind me. The trail had forked, one way going to the gym, and one off into the woods somewhere else. "Well, I might have lost that girl, but at least I found the gym." I smiled, putting my hands on the doors. "My first gym battle is right behind these doors. I'm sure Winona wont mind if I make a quick stop. Shouldn't take me that long to beat this guy."

The double doors were heavy, but with a couple of good shoves I opened it. Inside was nothing but four walls. "Hmm…" I said, looking around as I heard a creak. I turned around in time to see the door slam behind me. I ran over to it, shoving, pulling and pushing, but it wouldn't budge. "Great, it must only open from the outside." I then noticed something, I could still see. _Light must be getting in from somewhere if I can still see the walls in here._ I looked up, and sure enough the room I was in had no ceiling. "Hmm…" I then glanced around once more, and this time I noticed a sign on the wall that was behind the door.

The sign read:

_"If you go up, you might find yourself going down."_ Beside the sign was a lever. I looked at Pichu, and at the same time we both shrugged. I pulled the lever, and with a clank, and metal latter slid down the wall behind us.

"Well, its not like I have a choice do I?" I turned my head. "You hold on tight, Pichu."

Grabbing the rusty bar I made my way up. Each step the sky became brighter. I winced, squinting my eyes as I placed my arm over the ledge. I pulled, pushing my elbow down and bringing myself to the roof of the building.

"You finally made it." A voice said. I looked up, seeing a figure standing on the other side of the massive floor. I stood up, looking around and seeing that I was standing on a huge battling ground. "Hey!" the voice said again. "Are you ignoring me, Mr. Gray?"

"That voice… sounds…" when my eyes focused I jumped. There she was, Winona, standing on the other side of the battlefield. She was tossing a pokeball into the air, smiling.

"Well," she laughed. "What, are you surprised?"

"You're the gym leader?" I gawked.

"Pi cha!?" Pichu opened his eyes wide.

"Who else were you expecting, Gran?"

"Alright," I smiled, standing up straight again. "Lets quit talking and get right down to it."

"Fine with me." She laughed. "Oh my goodness, this is great!"

I raised and eye brow. "Great?"

"You wouldn't mind to make this battle a six on six would you?" Winona asked. She dug into her pocket, bringing out a green badge that looked like a blue wing. "You will be battling for this."

"Sure, I don't mind, but arnt gym battles normally three on three? Hardly any are like this."

"Its just, I haven't had a battle in so long."

"Really?" _I wonder why._ "So, a feather badge, huh? That means you're a flying type trainer?"

"That is correct." Winona tossed out the pokeball. In the red light appeared a Noctowl. It tilted its head, picking at its feathers as it stretched.

"Pi!" Pichu grit his teeth, jumping off my shoulder.

"Woha now!" I caught him mid air. "No bud, I'm going to need you later. I'm sure this isn't her strongest." I glared at the owl that began to take to the air. _That thing has a very shiny coat. Its eyes are pure white, and feathers sparker. That is a very well taken care of pokemon._

"I'm going to need something else." I took a pokeball off my belt. "Go Typhlosion!"

"Raaaa!" Typhlosion roared. When he did the flames shot out of his back.

"Kyle, I'm not going easy on you." Winona called out. "I know your reputation, and I'm going to give it my all." She then raised her hand to the air. "Noctowl! Hypnosis!"

"Heat Wave!" I called. Out.

The owl began flapping its wings violently. Typhlosion groaned, letting out flames from his back and mouth. It formed a dome around him as Noctowl took a dive. It flew fast, and then let out a screech. The sound was loud at first and then fizzled out to the point where I couldn't hear it. I looked down, feeling the pokeball around my neck bounce and jump.

"I guess Arcanine can hear it though." I looked up, seeing the fire dome around Typhlosion rippling like waves on the ocean. _That must be the Hypnosis attack bouncing off._

"Flare Blitz!" I screamed.

Typhlosion, keeping the dome around him, jumped into the air at Noctowl.

"Move!" Winona commanded.

Noctowl dove out of the way passing between Typhlosion and the ground.

"Flamethrower!"

"Reflect!"

The flamethrower shot out, striking Noctowl but no before the reflect attack was activated. A transparent shield appeared in front of Noctowl, separating the flames.

"Now!" Winona smiled. "Psychic!"

As Typhlosion was falling a purple sphere appeared around him. He was picked up, and in an instant the Heat Wave attack dwindled away.

"Flamethrower!"

Typhlosion roared, blasting flames but it only filled the dome instead of breaking it.

"End it!" Winona called.

Noctowl tossed Typhlosion into the air, and then slammed him down on the battleground. The force caused the rock floor to sink in, and then slowly spring back up. The dome vanished, making the flames extinguish, leaving Typhlosion knocked out.

I recalled him, watching the owl land back on the ground. "So, the stage is just one giant spring board?" I asked.

"It is made it withstand blows." She then threw her head down. "Too bad I put so much money into making it last… mostly because it hasn't seen any battles in years. But, enough about that. Kyle, the score is one for me and zero for you. You have five left and I have six. Please pick your next pokemon wisely."

"That thing is quick. I need an edge." I looked at Pichu on my shoulder. "You ready bud?"

"Cha!"

Pichu jumped, running onto the field.

"Double Team!" I screamed.

In an instant Pichu's covered the arena.

"Whoa!" Winona smiled. "That is the most impressive Double Team I have ever seen! But that will not win the battle. Noctowl! Hypnosis!"

"Pichu! Quick Attack!"

Once again Noctowl began to screech. All the Pichu's took off, dashing back and forth all over the stage. The floor was nearly covered, every inch with yellow fur of the Pichus.

The Hypnosis attack shot out in streams, hitting different areas, but every time the real Pichu was able to dodge.

"Thunder!" I said. That instant all the Pichu stopped moving. Yellow parks shot out from them and a bright yellow light flew up to the soaring Noctowl.

"CCRRRrraaa!" The bird cried, falling to the ground as Winona recalled it.

"Very nicely done." She smiled, bring forth another pokeball. "But this one will put you in your place."

The pokeball flew onto the field, and in the red light a massive dinosaur pokemon stood. It had palm tree branches growing from its back, and a protective bark covering all over its body and long neck.

"Troooop!" The Tropius roared.

"Pichu!" I screamed. "Return!"

All the Pichu vanished, leaving one standing only a few feet in front of me. He looked up, confused as he tilted his head. "Pi?"

"This isn't your battle." I said. "Come on back."

"Pi, cha!" Pichu frowned, shaking his head as he face the grass flying pokemon.

"Pichu…" I groaned, holding up his pokeball. "Remember what happened last time?"

Pichu turned around, saw the pokeball in my hand and turned white. His eyes grew big as he Quick Attacked back to me. "Pi, pi, pi-cha, cha, cha!" he laughed, putting a hand behind his head.

"Well, I don't think its funny." I scolded. "I'm serious, next time you disobey me it will be more than a few hours in your ball."

"Chaaa!" Pichu jumped.

"Come on!" Winona called out. "This is so fun! Don't stop!"

"Alright, against a grass I guess I only have one choice." I reached for the pokeball around my neck. "You want me to give it my all?"

"Try your hardest."

"Alright. Go Arcanine!" I threw the ball out, making Arcanine appear on the field. He roared, snorting embers out on the ground.

"Wow. You never seize to amazing." She smiled. "I have heard of this Arcanine, this is like a dream come true." She then threw out her hand. "Tropius! Sunny Day!"

"Traaaa!" Tropius roared, soaring into the sky and shined white. Light rays seemed to multiply as the dinosaur stopped screaming.

"Nice." I groaned, holding my hand over my head, blocking the sun. "Arcanine! Heat Wave!"

Arcanine growled, making fire appear around him.

"Solar Beam!"

"Hold tight!" I screamed.

Tropius roared loud, releasing a massive beam of green light from its mouth. The light shot out, striking down on Arcanine's shield. It hit, made ripples on the fire and then bounced off heading into the sky.

"Enough!" Winona screamed, stopping the attack.

Arcanine stood there, looking up at the flying plant. _He hadn't moved, not even during the attack. He just stood there, strong, knowing that he had the upper hand._

"Fine!" Winona grit her teeth. "Use an Earthquake!"

"Earthquake?" I then looked at the battleground. "That is spring loaded. What wound that do?"

"Ioussss!" Tropius flew down fast, slamming its feet into the ground. The ground shook as it sunk deep into the building. It slowed and then sprang back up, launching both Arcanine and Tropius into the air.

"With Arcanine in the air the battle is mine!" Winona smiled. "Aerial Ace!"

"Arcanine!" I screamed. "Keep the Heat Wave going!"

Tropius took off at great speed. It held its head straight out, forming vapor streams in the air as it struck into the dome. In an instant fire engulfed Tropius. It screamed in pain, and then fell to the ground knocked out.

"No way!" Winona watched, seeing Arcanine lower himself to the ground using a Flamethrower. "Very impressive." She recalled the knocked out pokemon, taking out another ball and tossing it on the field. "Go Pelipper!"

"Return!" I said, motioning Arcanine to come back. He turned, looked at me and took big steps, walking back. He stood behind me, facing the field as he looked down at Pichu.

"Chaa!" Pichu waved at him.

He grinned, licking the mouse, making his tongue cover all over the little rodent.

"Pi-Chaaa!" Pichu squeaked, shaking his head and rubbing his cheeks.

"Come on you two," I looked over my shoulder. "You all can play later. Pichu!"

"Cha!" he jumped.

"Your turn again."

Pichu jumped down, running onto the field.

"Pelipper!" Winona yelled. "Finish this quick! Use Aerial Ace!"

"Pellip!" The bird screamed. It flew in the air, turning around and increased in speed, flying at Pichu with its mouth open.

"Stand strong!" I screamed.

"Piii…" Pichu winced, watching as the bird's wings turned white.

It came closer, still screaming. When it was within feet of Pichu, I called out my next move. "Jump!"

Pichu acted on the command and jumped into the air, and went right into the bird's mouth.

"Pelll!" Pelipper yelped, gagging and tumbling into the ground.

"Thunder!" I screamed.

"PPEEERRRR!" Pelipper screamed as sparks shot out of its mouth. When they stopped it passed out, and Pichu crawled back out of its beak.

"Good job!" I praised, clapping my hands and calling him back.

"Chaaa!" He shook, shaking off water from his fur; _almost like Arcanine after the water training we do._

"Nice!" Winona said, recalling her pokemon and pulling out another ball. "But now it gets interesting. Go Dragonite!"

"Dragon type, huh? Pichu, return!" I readied my next pokemon as the little mouse scurried up on my shoulder. "Go Gyarados!"

Gyarados slithered onto the stadium, making it sink down under his weight.

I grit my teeth. _I hope I haven't completely underestimated her, but if I have… I basically just used Gyarados as a bluff._

"Hyperbeam!" I screamed.

"Thunder!"

Both attacks shot out as soon as we spoke. The lights warped around each other, forming a drill which struck both pokemon with great force. Dragonite fell to the Ground, panting, as Gyarados fell as well, but passed out.

"Little trigger happy there?" I asked, recalling Gyarados.

"You are one to talk." Winona smiled. "But, this is very invigorating."

"Invigorating?" I laughed, taking a pokeball off my belt. "It really has been a while since you have had a battle, huh?"

"You might even say a good battle around here are extinct."

"Then you'll love this one. Go Kabutops!"

My pokeball flew onto the field, and in the red light Kabutops appeared.

"Buuu-tops tops!" He danced and smiled.

"Wow!" Winona gasped. "You have such amazing and rare pokemon! But rare pokemon doesn't make the trainer. Dragonite! Use Thunder again!"

"Kabutops! Defend!"

The lightning bolt struck Kabutops, who held up his swords in defense. Dragonite stopped the attack, gasping for air as Kabutops lowered his arms. He then smiled, and began to dance again. "Tops! Tops! Tops!"

"How?" Winona asked. "It's a water type."

"Second!" I said, smiling. "First it's a rock." I pointed at Dragonite. "Kabutops! Dragonite looks really worn out. I bet it would love a blast of water!"

"Bu?" Kabutops eyes opened wide.

"Yeah! It's really tired! Give it a TON of water!"

"Dragonite!" Winona screamed. "Move! Quit!" Dragonite took off, flying into the air.

"Boo-" Kabutops sucked in air. "To-ps!" He then shot out a Hydro-Pump, which chased after the flying dragon, finally striking it. Dragonite winced, screamed, and then fell to the ground, constantly being hit by the attack. The gust of water pushed it, shoving it over the edge and making it fall into the forest.

Winona recalled Dragonite, taking another ball off her belt. "Alright, how about this." She threw the ball, and in the air fluttered an Altarua. The cloud on its body left a small vapor trail in the air.

"Okay…" I thought for a second. "Return Kabutops." I held up his ball, putting him back on my belt as I took off another. "Umbreon! Go!"

"Another grounded pokemon." Winona smiled. "Earthquake!"

"Doesn't she ever learn?" I asked, shaking my head.

Altarua flew down fast, slamming into the ground and making the floor spring up. Umbreon shot into the air as Altarua began to fly closer to him.

"Bite!" I screamed. When Alterua came close enough, Umbreon latched onto its neck, looping around and bringing it to the ground with him. "Slam it!" When they hit, Umbreon twisted around and whipped Alterua into the stadium, making a small crack and dust fly up.

"Shadow Ball!" I commanded. I saw the orb begin to form, but Alterua was able to break away and just miss the attack.

Alterua flew back to Winona, and then looped around after Umbreon. _I don't know if I wasn't paying attention to Winona's commands, or she wasn't speaking, but I didn't hear anything._ I looked below Umbreon, seeing some small pieces of rock where the crack had formed. "Sand Attack!" I called. Umbreon quickly turned around, forcing the pebbles up and into Alterua's eyes with his back feet.

Alterua shook its head, turning over and slamming into the ground. "Now!" I screamed. "Finish this with Last Resort!"

Umbreon quickly ran over to the fallen Alterua, but its body vanished in a red light. Umbreon turned to look at Winona, as did I.

"Alright, I get it." Winona said, pulling off another pokeball. "You are not playing around, so I wont either. This is my last one, and by far my strongest. Go, Skarmory!"

In the red haze the metal bird appeared. Its body, covered in blades of steel, which looked like it was wearing armor.

"Last Resort!" I motioned. Umbreon ran after the bird, covering himself in the purple sphere and howling.

"Whirl Wind!" Winona called.

Skarmory began flapping its wings hard, causing Umbreon to stand his ground and grip his claws into the floor. The wind intensity grew, and finally was too much for the fox. Umbreon was thrown backwards into the air. He tumbled end over end, releasing the Last Resort attack into a beam that struck the stage, making a line that hit Skarmory, and then shot off into the sky. Umbreon fell to the ground, knocked out.

I looked down to Umbreon, then back up to Winona. "Your strongest, huh?" I recalled him, looking back to Arcanine who was standing behind me still. I nodded my head, motioning him to go. He stepped proud onto the field again, standing tall as he locked his eyes on the flying bird.

"Don't think the type advantage will be enough for this match!" Winona called out. "Skarmory! Spikes!"

In the sky I saw Skarmory's body begin to move and shift. Its steel plates moved, as it screamed.

_I don't know that move, but I would guess that its going to shoot out some sort of spikes or needles. "_Arcanine!" I said. "Defend with Heat Wave!"

Just in time the flame wall appeared. Skarmory pushed its wings down, shooting out blades of feathers to the ground where Arcanine stood.

"Dodge!" I said too late. Some of the blades hit the flames, and pushed on through. They cut and hit Arcanine hard as he tried to dodge. He kicked in extreme speed, sliding on the ground around the corners of the field as the spikes followed him, sticking in the ground where they hit. The attack continued until there was nowhere left to run.

"Flamethrower!" I said.

Arcanine, still keeping the dome of fire, pushed flames on the ground as he took off into the air.

"Perfect." Winona smiled. "Aerial Ace!"

Skarmory flew fast, crashing into the dome of fire and pushing through. Its wing hit Arcanine in the back, turning him over and making the Flamethrower Attack hit right on the birds stomach. The fire dome on Arcanine fell as both pokemon plummeted to the ground. Skarmory hit first, breaking away the small metal spikes on the ground under it. Arcanine came down second, smashing into the bird. We both were quite, until I saw Arcanine stand up, and shake a little, like he had just been swimming.

I smiled, and then looked surprised as I heard a clapping noise.

"Congratulations." Winona said, recalling Skarmory. I recalled Arcanine, walking onto the field as she did the same. We met in the middle, both of us smiling. "Thank you Mr. Gray." She said, handing me a badge shaped like a blue wing of a bird. "This is the feather badge. You have earned it."

"Thank you," I said, pocketing it as I looked at my pokeballs. "Hey, where is the nearest pokecenter?"

"Well, there is no official center for 50 miles or so." She then smiled as she turned away. "But you can come back to my place. I can heal your pokemon."

I laughed. "So, do you invite all the trainers to your place?"

"Trainers?" Winona laughed as well. "You're the first trainer I have had in five years! But, to answer your question," she then winked. "Only the cute ones."

"Oh," I winced. "Great…"

***_-Scene Change-_***

I followed her into the forest for a while, and then finally came to a large building. It looked much like the gym. Concrete, large double doors, but this building was painted white and had several tall windows on the side.

"You really have a poke-healer in here?" I asked.

"Oh yeah." She smiled. "And electricity too!"

"Yeah, I know, you said that." _What is so great about electricity? Maybe I have just become so accustom to it that I over look it, or perhaps I have been traveling and eating campfire meals so long that I just don't care. _

The doors opened, and inside looked like a castle. There were marble floors, two staircases on the left and right side of the main lobby, which lead to the second and third floor, and pokemon everywhere. Swellow, Altaria, and Pelipper were flying around the inside of the building.

"Wow." I said, looking around at them. "Are they all yours?"

"Yes they are." She smiled as a small Swablu flew down and landed on her shoulder. "You see, I breed and raise these pokemon. It's sort of a hobby of mine. Nothing much else to do with all the trainers around her being total jokes."

"I was meaning to ask you about that. You told me it had been five years since you have had a battle, you also said its because of that stupid game show with Team Aqua and Magma. Why? Its not like there are no trainers? And what about the Elite Four? Does this place even have one any more?"

"Oh yes." She said, looking at me with a frown. "But sadly they are the ones that comprised the whole League of Hoenn to begin with."

"League of Hoenn?"

"Oh, that's the name of the TV show sponsoring Team Magma and Aqua."

"Okay, so I am still confused." I scratched my head. "Is there an Elite Four, or isn't there?"

"There is, but ten years ago they decided to change how they chose their challengers." Winona cupped the Swablu in her hands, tossing it into the air. "Can we talk and walk?" I followed as she began to go towards the marble staircase in the left corner of the room. "They changed not only the amount of times they battle trainers, instead of holding the competition once a year, they have one every month. They also changed how to enter. Keeping with the normal standards of the Pokemon Championship Enterprise, they still require 8 gym badges to qualify, but they added something else. Just any normal pokemon trainer could enter, but only if they had certain qualifications, or as they put it, classifications. You see, you can enter under the classifications of _Trainer, Aqua, _or _Magma._ If you entered under _Trainer _you have to earn 8 badges from all over the region, pass an initiation trial, and then enter the stage. If you register as _Aqua_ you must have pokemon of the Water, Electric or Dark type, pass a trial, and then enter the stage. If you register as _Magma_ you must have pokemon of only Fire, Dark or Steel type, trial as well, then enter the stage."

"Wow, now I see." I lowered my head. "So it's easier to just pick a team rather than enter the right way."

"Yeah… and that's not all. Now people that enter can either battle for the prize money, or have a chance at the Elite Four."

"So you can fight the Elite Four?" I smiled.

"Yes, you can." Winona then sighed. "But it has been eight years since someone did that. It is so much easier to just enter the competition for the prize money rather than enter it to fight the Elite Four. In my opinion, the Elite Four members just want to draw a paycheck and not work for it. Many of the gym leaders here do that. A lot of them enjoy not working."

We reached a door that had a hand print scanner attached to it. Winona placed her hand on it, and the door opened. Inside I saw Electrikes, Voltorbs, and Elkids shocking away at generator boxes.

"This," Winona commented, "is where all of my electric pokemon let off their over exerted energy." She then smiled. "When they can't battle or let their canned up energy go, they can get really sick and cranky. But, I'm sure you know that."

"Yeah," I smiled at Pichu, "That happens from time to time.

"But, I don't mind. They let off enough energy to power this entire house. They even could power the whole town, but people around here do not like that idea. They want to live naturally with pokemon." She then turned and headed into another room. Inside this one was computer monitors and pokehealers all over the place. She walked over to one and placed her hand on it. "This is the best healer money can buy." She smiled, and then frowned. "After all, nothing else I can spend the money on I make for keeping up a gym that is never used."

"Well, it was used today." I laughed, placing my pokeballs on the open tray the machine had. Suddenly the tray I placed it on turned red and a glass dome closed up around them. The pokeballs were then rolled to different placed and on the screen above the healer their pictures appeared:

_Arcanine – CLP: 87_

_Gyarados – CLP: 71_

_Umbreon – CLP: 69_

_Kabutops – CLP: 53_

_Typhlosion – CLP: 48_

"Darn." Winona said. "No wonder that Arcanine was tough. You could have used him and wiped the floor with me." She then laughed as the machine opened its dome and turned back to its normal color. "You are free to take your pokemon now. They are completely healed."

Behind me I heard the static and shocks. I turned my head, seeing Pichu on my shoulder, and he too was looking behind us. Behind on the older machines ran two little yellow mice, one with a blue little plus on its tail, and one with a red minus.

"Plus plus!" The Plusel screamed to the Minun, who was dancing on one of the machines. It was pushing buttons, causing it to turn on and put strange codes on the screen.

"Mine! Mine! Mine!" The Minun teased, sticking out its tongue and pulling down its eyelid at Plusel.

"Plusss…." The little mouse shot out a stream of electricity at the Minun, missing and hitting the healer instead. It sparked, and then started smoking as the screen went black.

"You two!" Winona said, picking them up by the skin on their neck, like a kitten. "I told you, if you cant…" She then turned and looked at me. "You know what, I have a great idea!" She ran over to me, shoving Pichu off my shoulder and putting the other two mice on either side of my head.

Pichu fell down, bumping his head on the machine as it closed the dome around him. "Pi! Pichu!" he pushed on the glass as the light under him shown red.

"There!" Winona said, placing the Plusel and Minun on both shoulders. "Now that is cute! They look a lot better than Pichu."

"I'm sorry," I said, picking them both up and laying them on the ground. "Pichu is just enough for me to handle, I don't want two more little buddies like him running around." I turned, pushed the button on the machine, releasing Pichu as he ran up my shoulder.

"Pi…" He huffed, rubbing his head as he looked at Winona with an evil stare. "Pi, chu."

"Besides," I said, pointing up to the computer monitor that displayed Pichu's stats. "This level 70 Pichu is a valued member of my team."

"Fine, then will you at least grant me one favor?"

"What's up?"

"You see," Winona began. "Me and this guy William use to date. When the league changed over he was one of the gym leaders that wanted to not battle for his paycheck. Things he said and did disgusted me so much that I ended up breaking it off. He did leave me something to remember him by… well really, two things." She looked down at her feet, and following her eyes, I did as well. On the floor with huge starry eyes at the Plusel and Minun, looking up at me with tears almost streaming down their face.

"Pi!" Pichu huffed, turning his head away, disgusted by their attempts of begging for attention.

"So?" I looked back up at her. "What do you want me to do about it?"

"You still have to fight him to get his badge, and I can not leave my gym…"

"You want me to take these little guys down to him on my way, right?"

"Oh thank you!" Winona screamed, embracing me with a hug as she jumped in the air. "They will not be a bother at all, you will never even know they were there!"

"Hey now," I said, backing up. "I never said I'd do it." I looked back down at the two, who were still putting on the big eyes. "And you can't fool me with that. Pichu does a much better begging face than you two combined."

Both of them narrowed their eyes and puffed out their cheeks.

"Okay, fine then." Winona crossed her arms. "William has all but given up battling. If you want to face him you will have to do something for him in return. If you bring back his two electric pokemon he will more than gladly battle you."

I looked down at the two again, huffed, and turned away. "You two better keep up, because I'm not going to slow down for you."

Pichu jumped off my shoulder and onto the counter in front of me. He ran up, crossed his arms and threw them to his side, shaking his head and screaming, "Pi, pi, pi, pi, chu PI!"

"Bud," I pat him on the head. "You know you are my go to guy, right?"


	4. Weather Or Not, Here We Come

**Chapter 4**

**Weather Or Not, Here We Come**

**Authors note and warning to the reader:**

**Near the end of this chapter it talks about a person 'exposing' themselves. Nothing much else though, so I still think it is a T rated chapter. Just wanted to give you a heads up. Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter!**

The road we were on was fairly desolate, not may cars but the ones we did see we passed without a second look. _The road was not on the path I original wanted to take, but trekking through the mountains of a tropical island was not as pleasant as I thought. Hot, muggy, and no place to bathe. But, one thing is for sure… I didn't have to deal with any of the crap over Team Magma or Aqua._

I looked down, away from the straight stretch to the two new companions we had tagging along with us. They were sitting in the two cup holders on the right hand side, bickering at each other. Pichu was sitting in the cup holder closer to the front on the left hand side eyeing them down with a scolding face.

I looked back up watching as some palm trees zipped past us. _Why does this bike have four cup holders anyway?_ Ahead I saw something, something strange. In the middle of the road I brought the bike to a stop, and watched the sky as a white flake fell on my helmet visor. "Snow?"

HOOOOONNNKKK! I startled, looking back to the road and seeing a large truck that had just came around the curve ahead. I revved the bike, throwing it in reverse and flying off the road and into the ditch as the truck flew by us. I looked around at the three pokemon that sat on either side of me. "You all okay?" I asked. Minin and Plusel just looked at me, scared, but Pichu, he was another story.

"Pi!" He jumped, and then looked at the truck that was heading away from us. "Pi! Pi! Pi-cha-chu!"

"Yeah," I said, raising the hood up. "You tell 'um bud."

Walking around the bike I groaned. "Great." The bike itself was in working order, it would drive, but the paneling on the left side was all messed up. It was spider cracked and then in one placed, right where the wheel stabilizer was bolted to the frame on the backside, completely shattered.

"Looks like it'll need body work done on it." I then signed. "This darn thing. I swear. Right when I think that I might not need to spend any more of my dwindling money stash…"

I stopped talking, watching as another flake of snow fell in front of my face one more time. I looked up, seeing a sign above me. _'Route 119' _it said on it. A little ways up the road, right where it began to swing into a curve, I saw another sign. On it read, _'The Weather Institution – Next Right'._

"Weather Institution, huh?" I looked up again, seeing more snow fall. "This might be interesting."

***_-Scene Change-_***

I rounded the corner, testing out the traction and handling of the bike from the damage. _The back wheel was out of balance. If I get it up to 80 or so it starts to shake. Its probably one of the welds that broke loose._

As we drove further the weather became more and more unpredictable. It snowed, rained, was sunny, and then in the middle of the that, it was almost like a tornado was summoned.

I looked up when we reached the building. It was tall, about as wide as a football field, and had two stories on it. I took off my helmet, shaking my head as I stared up at the massive antenna sticking out of the roof of the building. "Why don't we stop in there for a bit?" I asked, as we found a spot in the parking lot. Looking down at Pichu, I raised the hood of the bike.

"Pi!" Pichu said, getting ready to jump up on my shoulder, but he was stopped my two other rodents. Minin jumped on my right shoulder while Plusel jumped on my left.

"Whoa!" I said, looking at one then the other. "Well… umm… okay."

"Pi…" Pichu groaned taking off his goggles, throwing them inside the cup holder as he followed behind me.

We walked past the cars, eyeballing all of them. _They were all very similar, not by type or maker mind you, but rather, the color. _I then turned to look back at my bike. "Great… it's the only thing red in this entire parking lot."

Shaking my head I kept walking, coming to the glass door, which slid open automatically. The inside was very plane, in fact, if anything it reminded me of my mothers pokemon lab. There was a long hallway that the door opened up into, which had a waiting area, and an adjacent hallway to the left. I glanced around, not seeing anyone, so, being nosey I snuck down the hallway.

Down the narrow hall was two doors, one on the left and right. Plusle and Minin's ears shot up as we peered around the right door. Inside we saw about twenty or so people in white lab coats running about, printing papers, typing on computers, and checking on forecasting's on large televisions.

"Pi! Pi, CHU!" Pichu huffed, looking up at us.

"Pichu!" I hussidly scolded, jumping away from the door and wrapping my hand over his mouth.

"What was that?" I heard some one say as footsteps grew closer to the door.

"It sounded like a pokemon." Another set came closer. I pressed my back against the wall, holding Pichu in my arms and still covering his mouth.

"It was probably Castform." Another said. "You know how it likes to goof off."

_Castform?_

"I don't know why Shelly wanted us to create that thing anyway." The first one chimed in again. "Is stealing and selling pokemon not enough for her, or running this organization? Instead, now she wants to play God?"

"Hey man, not so loud." The second voice said. "These morons may think its just some game, but I don't want to get killed over your stupidity."

I looked at Pichu, removing my hand from his mouth as I whispered. "What's up?"

"Pi…" Pichu frowned, pointing a finger up at Minin, and then moving to Plusle. The two looked at each other, then at my shoulders, and then back to Pichu sticking out their tongues and pulling down their eyelids.

"Piiii…." Pichu groaned, charging up static as sparks shot from his cheeks.

"No!" I said, still keeping my voice down. "No! Not now, Pichu" I then looked back into the room, spying all of the people wearing blue bandanas with white and black skulls on them. I looked back to Pichu. "All those guys in there are Aqua's. That's a TON of Aqua's. If you want to settle a score with these two varmints, then fine." I heard Minin and Plusle gulp as Pichu grinned. "But not now. Right now we are deep in it, and we need to find out what's going on."

We snuck past the door unnoticed making our way to the second door. I looked in, and saw a PC system, bed, and a PokeHealer, and no one monitoring it. I turned around; looking and making sure that no one saw us dive into the empty room. Quietly we closed the door.

***_-Scene Change-_***

"Commander Shelly!" An elite guard ran up to this woman with bright red teased hair. She was wearing a denim blue half jacket with cut off sleeves, un-zipped and exposing her black bra. He pants were the same blue as her jacket, and high heeled boots the color of her hair. She was sporting a pair of aviator black glasses, and staring out of the window on the second floor at her newly created pokemon floating around in the sky.

"What?" She demanded.

"Sir! There is a Magma in our facility!"

Shelly spun around, tossing her hair to the side as she did. "What? Are you sure?"

"Yes, Sir!" The guard kneeled down to her. "In the parking lot, there is a red motorcycle. Fairly damaged. More than likely-"

"After our research!" Shelly cut the guard off. She then looked to the sky at the pokemon that was causing snow, rain, tornados and lighting all at the same time. "We spent years, and thousands of dead bodies to make this amazing creature. Those blasted Magmas will NOT take it from us!"

***_-Scene Change-_***

"Alright," I said, looking around. "We need a plan." In the corner I spied some lockers. I ran to them, twisting the combinations and trying to open them. "Drat, locked."

I leaned up against them, watching Plusle and Minin run off my shoulders and over to the computer in the middle of the room. Pichu, taking his chance, ran up and jumped on my shoulder.

"Selling, trading, and creating pokemon. This sounds very familiar. I think there are some things Wynonna didn't mention to me about this Aqua and Magma stuff."

Suddenly the lights dimmed, and then a red strobe light came on as well as a sirin. "What?!" I jumped, looking around and seeing Plusle and Minin tangled up in in the wires that were inside of the computer systems.

"Ummm…" The both whimpered, then pointed to each other, saying _'he did it!'_ in their language.

"Oh my goodness!" I said, pulling them out of the wires as I franticly looked around. "This is not what I need right now."

_"Attention!" _A voice said over the intercom. _"A Magma as broke into our facility."_

"A Magma?" I questioned. "Hmm… I guess it's not us that set off the alarm them."

_"He is in the healing room!" _The voice said again. _"Whom ever brings me his head will get two weeks paid vacation and a chance to battle in the League of Hoenn!"_

"Sweet!" I said, getting out a pokeball. "If I can take down this guy I'll get a free shot at the league!" I then looked around and saw a sign hanging from the ceiling. "Wait…" The words on the sign read, _'Healing Room'._

"Wait!" I backed up, looking around the room. "That means…"

"There he is!" I head voices say. I spun around, looking at the door and seeing it pried open by guards wearing blue and black stripe outfits with skulls on their shirts. "Get him!"

***_-Scene Change-_***

"We have him on the video feed, Sir!" An Aqua member grunt said, pulling up a surveillance camera on the overhead television. Shelly walked over to the grunt, staring at the screen and watching the boy in the green shirt trying to break into the lockers.

"He his pretty clever for a Magma grunt." Shelly commented, watching him scramble. "Getting in here by using three electric type pokemon as a cover. Now he's looking for information right in our hidden storage area." She then glanced over, reaching past the grunt at the computer and flipped a switch. The lights dimmed and a red siren sounded. "Attention!" she said over the intercom. "A Magma as broke into our facility. He is in the healing room! Whom ever brings me his head will get two weeks paid vacation and a chance to battle in the League of Hoenn!" She smiled, watching the video as he took the three pokemon he had in his arms. "Magma scum."

***_-Scene Change-_***

"Freeze, Magma!" One of the Aqua's said, standing in the door as they all readied their pokeballs.

"Guys," I said half hearted laughing. "Cant we all just get along?"

"As if!" One of them screamed as he tossed out a pokeball. In the air floated a very weak looking Zubat. "That spot in the League is mine!"

"Yeah…" I laughed. "Man, and to think I was worried about you losers. Hey, better yet, lets even the odds," I then raised my hands up. "Come on everyone, release all your pokemon."

"You asked for it!" The man screamed as he yelled back to the rest of the group. "Lets get him!" Before long the room was filled with about thirty Zubat, several Poochyena, and quite a few Carvanha just flopping on the ground like a Magikarp. It was so packed that the trainers couldn't see what was going on from all the pokemon in such a small area.

"Now," I said lowly to the three little mice I was holding onto in my arms. We crept to the window, watching as the Aqua members began to bicker and fight amongst themselves about which pokemon was which. I slowly pushed it open, releasing Beedrill outside as I slid the other three out first. When I was outside I put them on his back.

"Plusle, Minin," I said, watching them shake, scared on the back of the giant bee. "This is Beedrill, and we don't have time for introductions, so just hang on tight." I then looked at Beedrill. "I know this is a lot to ask, and hard on you, but I need you to take us to the top of the building. Can you do it?"

Beedrill nodded, picking me up by the shoulders with his feet as his wings began to flap violently. He pushed hard, pulling us off the ground as the Aqua members began to all crowd around the window. I laughed, seeing them gasp as we landed on the roof.

Beedrill was breathing hard. _This is the first time in four weeks that I let him out of his pokeball, and I made him lift nearly four times his own weight about thirty feet in the air. _"I'm sorry bud," I said, patting him on the head as I recalled him. "You have earned a rest."

"I should have known that those grunts wouldn't have what it takes to defeated a Magma spy!" I turned around, seeing a woman wearing hardly anything up-top, and a long pair of jeans. In fact, her hair covered more of her body than her clothes did.

"You're… You're…" I stuttered

"Yes!" she laughed. "I am the famous leader of this underground Team Magma group, Shelly!"

"No…" I stuttered again as I gave her a completely confused look. "You are nearly nude. Did you know your boobs are falling out?"

"Wha-" She then blushed.

"Yeah, really." I said, pointing at her chest. "Your boobs, they are exposed, big time. You really should zip that thing up, its been snowing lately around here. I know its normally like, 120 degrees, but trust me, no one wants to see you exposing yourself."

"How… dare you…" She cursed, as a vein rose up on her head. "Come into my base and insult me?!"

"Your, base?" I then thought about what she had said earlier. "Oh! You're Shelly. I heard your peons down there talking about you." I then smiled, grabbing a pokeball off my belt as I talked. "I had a few questions for you. I heard that you steal pokemon and sell them. And you also create pokemon too. I knew of an organization that did that very same thing, they were called Team Rocket. Do you know of them?"

"Know of them? Know of them?!" She screamed. "Those amateurs had no idea what they were doing. As soon as Giovanni was out of the picture they crashed and burned. Just like you are going to do before I tell you anything about my operation!"


	5. Cast Out the Castform!

**Chapter 5**

**Cast Out the Castform!**

"Don't play stupid with me, boy!" Shelly yelled. "I know what you came here for, and I intend on giving it to you too!" She smile.

"No thanks!" I said, putting my hands up in defense as I started to walk away. "Trust me, I can see what you have to offer, and I don't want any or your skanky body.."

"Skanky?!" She screamed even louder. "This, is, an, OUTFIT!"

"Yeah, I know." I nodded. "And I'm sure some guys give you a lot of tips when you wear it."

"That's it!" She grit her teeth. "You idiot! I will have to teach you respect!" She then grabbed one of the pokeballs off her belt. "This is what Magma wants, and this is what I'll give you! Go Castform!"

"Castform?" When the red light dissipated I saw a large floating water drop with eyes in it, staring a hole through me. _I get it…_ I said to myself. _This is the pokemon they were talking about before, the one they 'created'._

"Years of research and thousands of dead pokemon later this marvelous creature was born. Castform!" Shelly commanded. "Show this Magma what you can do! Hydro Pump!"

"Pichu!" I yelled as he leaped off my shoulder into the air. "Thunderbolt!"

Both attacks shot out at the same time. When they met the electricity shot up the stream of water and hit Castfrom. A cloud of fog appeared around it, as Shelly laughed. "Now you will see it's true power!"

Castform dove out of the fog, and to my amazement, it had completely changed forms. This time it was in the form of a giant fire ball.

"Castform!" Shelly yelled. "Flamethrower!"

"Pichu!" I cried out as I took Plusel and Minun and dove out of the way. "Quick Attack under it!"

Flames shot out, scorching the back of my shirt and making it smoke. I held the two mice close to me as they both shook, scared to death. _Man, these two have never been in a battle. They act like they are pets instead of pokemon._ I turned around, watching Pichu dodge flames left and right, dashing under the floating pokemon time after time.

"Thunder!" I screamed. Pichu stopped under it and began to summon rain clouds. Lighting began to build in the dark clouds as Shelly issued another attack.

"Blizzard!" She laughed.

In a split second the fire around Castfrom fell, its bright red core became black, blue, and then white. Frost built up around it and show began to fall.

"CHUUU!" Pichu screamed, releasing the massive Thunder attack on the pokemon that was floating in the air. Sparks shot everywhere as rain fell with the snow, mixing and making it sleet.

Pichu stood there, waiting for a sign of movement up in the dark clouds.

"Caaaaaaaa!" we heard as ice shards began to rain down like shooting bullets. Ice was pushed into the ceiling of the building, shattering and sometimes even punching through.

"Pi!" Pichu cried out, trying to dodge but failing. When the attack ended Pichu was hurt badly, with cuts and scrapes all over him.

"Pichu!" I commanded as I still held tight to the pokeball that was in my hand. "Return." I then threw out Typhlosion. He roared, and then snorted, intimidating right off the bat just like how I trained all my fire type pokemon to react.

"So," Shelly commented. "The Magma finally shows his true colors!"

"I'm not with Team Magma." I said, getting sick of the whole thing.

"Fire Pokemon don't lie, and neither does the red paint on your motorcycle!" Shelly yelled. "Though, I must say, I have never seen one covered in all those stickers like you have."

"Magma, Aqua, it doesn't matter!" I screamed. "You are stealing, selling, creating, and even killing pokemon! And for what? So you can change the weather? You are sick and I will not stand for it!"

"Sick?" She laughed. "How is wanting to rid the world of scum like you sick?"

"Me, scum?" I asked. "How am I scum?"

"You are scum because you are a Magma. You want to keep all of the land for yourself in Hoenn and not let us Aqua's have any of it!"

"What are you talking about?!" I questioned. "Look around you. This whole place is surrounded by national forest. No one owns it!"

"With Castform on my side I can destroy all of your cities, bring them to the ground, and even kill all of your crops!"

"Which is why I cant let you win."

"So you admit you are a Magma?" Shelly asked.

"No! I admitted you are insane! Typhlosion! Heat Wave!"

Typhlosion grunted, taking a deep breath as he emitted an orb or flames around him. The wave of heat that came off of him pushed the clouds surrounding the pokemon away, reveling a gray form that had small wings on its sides and a little curly-q on its head.

"Quick Attack!" Shelly commanded. Castform shot off, heading for Typhlosion, and in a split second Shelly made another move. "Hydro Pump!" In a flash, the flying pokemon turned into the water one again. The stream of water shot out at Typhlosion. I saw him side step, leaving the orb at just the right second to be covered up in a white fog that was caused from the two attacks clashing. Castform couldn't help but be engulfed by the mist.

"He's done for now!" Shelly screamed. "Come on, bring out your next pokemon! Let me cream you where you stand, Magma!"

"Alright…" I chuckled; still knowing Typhlosion was in the fog. I looked down at the pokeball in my hand. "I'm sorry, I know you're tired, but I need you. Go Beedrill!" Beedrill appeared, breathing hard while he floated just a few feet in front of the fog._ She must not realize that Typhlosion is in the mist. I need to make Castform weak to fire, and it becoming its ice form would do that. I just hope she falls for this._

"Blizzard!" Shelly yelled.

_Now's my chance!_ "Flare Blitz!"

Shards of ice shot out from the fog, striking and slowing freezing Beedrill piece by piece. Every shard pushed a little more of the fog away, and I saw Shelly's eyes widened as Typhlosion ran into Castfrom, pushing all of his flames into the ice pokemon's body. Castform screamed in pain right before it fell the to the ground, changing back into its normal gray form.

My sigh of relief was only temporary as I noticed Beedrill lying on the ground as well, half way frozen solid. "Beedrill!" I screamed, running up to him as I dug out some full restore in my book bag. I gave it to him and quickly returned him to his pokeball. I looked up, hearing footsteps and saw Shelly running away, trying to make it to the far edge of the building. "Typhlosion!" I screamed. In a split second he kicked in his Quick Attack and appeared right in front of Shelly.

"Ahh!" She screamed as I came running up behind her, Pichu, Minun and Plusel following close.

"Shelly!" I said, "Stop! I have some questions I need to ask you."

"Like I would talk to a Magma like you!" She spat.

"I'm not a Magma!" I screamed, frustrated. "But tell me, why are you doing this? I thought that this was all part of a television show? Why do all these bad things?"

She looked around franticly, searching the roof for an escape. I then saw her smile. "I know what you are trying to do…" She grinned. "You are trying to intimidate me! You are going to take me to your leader!"

"What are you talking about?" I questioned again.

"I wont let you!" She screamed as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a knife. She held it out, running after me. In pure instinct I stepped out of the way, tripping on Minun and falling backwards.

Seeing her chance she reached down, grabbed Minun and held the knife to the mouse's neck. "Back off!" She screamed. "I'll do it! I'll slit its little throat!"

"Whoa…" I said, acting calm as I recalled Typhlosion. "Calm down, I wasn't going to hurt you, I just wanted to ask you some questions."

"Questions?" She kackeled. "You are not the one to ask questions now, I am!" She then squeezed Minin's neck in her hand, putting the blade of the knife in her mouth as she raised up Castform's pokeball returning it. She began to walk backwards, taking another pokeball off her belt and releasing a pokemon off the side of the building. "If you try anything…" she said, backing up to the ledge. "I'll kill this rat!"

In that split second she loosened the grip on Minun. His eyes opened, reacting in the only way he knew how. He bit down hard. "Ahhh!" Shelly screamed, throwing him and shaking her hand. He hit the ground, running over to me and jumping climbed up my leg to set on my shoulder.

"Good job." I said, giving him the thumbs up.

"Darnit…" Shelly grit her teeth as she looked around.

"Don't even think about running." I said, taking the pokeball off my neck. "If you run, I will find you."

"I get it." She said. "You're not a grunt at all. You are a mercenary."

I looked at her confused. "No, I'm not. I am a trainer. That's it, that's all."

"Drop the act Magma!" She spat. "Its over, you won. You ruined my base, found out my plan, and now your going to kill me!"

"No I'm not." I said, stepping closer to her.

"Get away from me!" Shelly screamed, grabbing Castform's pokeball off her belt. She then pushed a button hidden on the bottom of it and smiled. "Now you wont get any of this information! This pokeball is set to self-destruct in 10 minutes." She then laughed, throwing it into the woods. "Take your choice, either the pokemon or me? Our research, or my life? Which is worth more to you?" She stepped backwards off the building, landing on a giant dragonfly looking pokemon. It flew off into the sky.

"Darn…" I said, watching as they faded into the background. "I really need to brush up on my pokemon of Hoenn." I then shot my attention to the forest, in the direction that she threw the pokeball. "Arcanine!" I threw out his pokeball, as he appeared at the edge of the woods. "Search the woods! Find that pokeball!"

"Arf!" he barked, sniffing the ground and taking off into the woods.

I looked around, spying a gutter that was attached to that side of the building. Slowly, making sure that all three of my mice were holding on tight, I made my way down. I was greeted at the bottom by Arcanine, who was holding the pokeball in his mouth.

"Thanks," I said, taking it from him as we went back to the window we came out of. I peered in, not seeing anyone there. _They must had all went to the roof or something? _"Oh well!" I said, climbing in as I recalled Arcanine. I then ran to the computer in the corner of the room, plugging in some numbers and watching the dial tone ring. "Come on… Come on…"

"Hello?" I saw Professor Oak say, still wearing his night cap.

"Professor!" I said, "Thank goodness your…. Why are you in pajamas?" _In all my years of seeing the professor, I never saw him in anything other than a lab coat. _

"Why wouldn't I be, Kyle? Its two in the morning." He then yawned.

"What? But its…." I then thought. "Ohh! Ha ha! I forgot about the time difference. I'm on the other side of the planet. Oh well, here, I'm sending you over a pokemon."

"Okay…" He said, rubbing his eyes. "Where are you calling from, Kyle?"

"Hoenn." I spoke, putting the pokeball on the transfer unit.

"Oh, Hoenn you say?" I watch as the ball vanished. He then picked it up, looking at it. "Hmm, this is a strange ball… what is this flashing light on the bottom?"

"Long story short," I said laughing, "It's a bomb with a pokemon trapped in it. You have about five minutes to get it open before it blows."

"What!?" Oak screamed. "W-W-Wh!"

"Hey, sorry!" I said, having my hand over the disconnect button. "It was either you or Bill, and Bill already got me out of my last pinch! But before it go, inside is a pokemon that can change the weather at will. Have fun with it! Bye!"

"No Kyle! Don't you dare-"

_CLICK_~ With that, I close the call, saying a short prayer for dear Professor Oak. _Did I do the right thing? What if it doesn't open… what if it goes off? Eah! Oak is a smart guy, I'm sure he does things like this all the time._

***_-Scene Change-_***

We walked all through the building, not seeing a single soul anywhere. _This is odd. That is, considering that only about fifteen minutes ago this place was crawling with people. _We all shrugged, turned around and walked out.

As I walked outside I did notice something different. All the cars were gone. The parking lot was empty, that is, with the exception of one thing. My bike. I ran up to it, looking down at the crumbled up mess. "Well, great." I said, kicking the tire on it, the only thing that wasn't trashed. The windshield was busted, the body was mangled, seat slashed, and the bike frame was bent all out of shape. In fifteen minutes all the people cleared out, and my bike went from bran new to pile of junk.

"Oh… My... Goodness…" I flopped down beside it, rolling my eyes as I looked up to the sky, the sun beating down on me with not clouds in sight. "This place is going to kill me in more ways than one."


	6. Rydel or Bust!

**Chapter 6**

**Rydel or Bust!**

The sun was hot, the air was muggy, and the whinnying of Plusle and Minun was almost unbearable. We were all riding on the back of Arcanine, who, acting like a saint in control, was allowing the two mice to burry into his fury, playing hide and seek and screaming at each other the whole time. He was heading down the road at a decent speed, not nearly as fast as we were on the bike, but then again I was thankful not to be walking.

_When I found the bike pretty much in pieces I first tried to close it like I normally would. Sadly, it wouldn't collapse at all. What I eventually had to do was piece by piece disassemble the parts that were broken and store them in item holders. Next on my list is to find the bike shop in Mauville City. _

As we ran, less and less we were pummeled by pop cans and random items in peoples cars as they drove by. The majority of the people that threw things at us screamed, "Magma Sucks!" right before being blasted by a flamethrower attack that melted the tires and made them blow out under the heat. _Something Arcanine doesn't take well to was people throwing things at him. That probably came from him being a puppy back in Viridian. I bet so many people did that very same thing before I came along. _

As we grew close to the town I noticed that the signs were changing from blue to red, and then I realized why. _So far all I have met were Aqua's, and now everything is changing red? Will I finally meet some Magma members?_ I then shook my head laughing, noticing Pichu looking back at me from Arcanine's head. _I wonder, if I had to choose, which would it be? Yeah, right! It would be a no brainer if the Magmas acted even remotely smarter than the Aquas, but I suppose one can only dream._

***_-Scene Change-_***

The town was booming, not like Lillycove mind you, no this place was not nearly that advance. In fact, this place would be a very good comparison to Vermillion City, you know, without the boats or … dock.

We strolled into town, all four of us riding on the back of Arcanine. With his stature, we towered above the rest of the people walking down the street. It was kinda strange, not because of the drastic change from seeing only trees to only seeing buildings, but the way people interacted with us. Nearly every person we passed looked at us, smiled and thin whistled really loud, or commented on how big Arcanine was.

_You know, even though this region is pretty weird, and the Aqua and Magma stuff is crazy, it is nice to be able to walk the streets again and not worry about being notice by camera men. Heck, everyone here is so wrapped up in the 'League of Hoenn' that they probably don't even know there is a 'real' pokemon league out there._

Up in the distance, past the next intersection I could see our destination. Bicycles and Motorcycles were sitting outside of the building, and if I hadn't already guessed it, they were all red.

When we made our way up to the store I recalled Arcanine, having Plusle and Minun tagging right behind me as Pichu ran up my sleeve to my shoulder, happy to get 'his' spot before they could. Out of the corner of my eye I spied something in the parking lot. It was a line of four Akira Model motorcycles, each one varying just a little bit from mine. It wasn't anything really noticeable, that is to anyone who hadn't owned one for nearly three years. The body was just a tad different, and they each had different tags on them. One was R, which was the less of the sporty looking ones, then it went to SR, S, and then SS, which was the one that mostly resembled mine.

I took all that in, pushing open the door and walking inside. There were people lined up at the desk, and like all the other bike shops I went into before, there were parts and bike accessories all over the inside. Patiently, the three pokemon and I waited our turn to get to the register. Bike parts were everywhere, and might I say, the ones for the Akira Model were all very over priced. _It could be from where they are imports. The company that made them is in Cerulean after all. _

"Sir?" I heard a young ladies voice say. "Sir, can I help you?"

"Oh, yeah," I focused my attention back on her. "Is there anyway I could speak to…" I looked around, searching for the name of the place. On the door, I saw a sign that I had clearly missed before, '_Rydel's Bike Shop'._ "Could I speak with Rydel please?"

"Rydel?" The clerk asked. "Well, okay, but he normally doesn't like to speak to customers."

"Tell him it's about an Akira Model."

"Oh!" She then smiled, bringing out some papers from under her desk. "If you are interested in buying one-"

"No," I laughed, looking around the room at the people. "This is something that I think we should talk about in a more private area." I then pointed behind me.

"Oh… I understand." She picked up the phone, pushed a few buttons and then spoke. "Hello, Sir. There is a man here to see you…. He said its about the Akira Models…. No, Sir, he isn't wanting to buy one…. He said its something that he needs to speak to you about, and not in public…. No, Sir, I don't think so…. Yes sir, right away." She hung up the phone, looking up at and pointing to the door in the back. "Rydel is through that door. Make a right and it's the first door on the left."

"Thank you." I smiled, nodded and then went my way. _Man, this guy must really not like people. But, then again, I guess I don't have much room to talk do I?_

I walked through the door, and following her instructions I made a right down the hallway. On the first left door I came to I knocked.

"Come in." I heard a mans voice say. I turned the knob, and walked into a room with a wooden desk stacked full with papers, and a jolly looking fat man sitting behind it. "Alright young man," He started off. "I am Rydel, the owner of this store. What can I do for you?"

"I really needed to speak to you," I said, closing the door behind me, noticing Plusle and Minun outside. I smiled at them, holding up one finger as I closed the door, leaving them in the hallway. I then turn to face Rydel again. "You see, I have a very rare version of the Akira Model motorcycle, and I need to have it repaired."

"Son," Rydel spoke as he stood up. "You can find all the parts you need outside in the lobby. Now if you don't mind I am a very busy man-"

"No, you don't understand, this is a model th-"

"We carry parts for all the Models out there." He said with a sigh. "R, SR, S, and even the SS. They are all outside in the lobby."

"What about the Prototype?"

He stopped, looked at me and then raised an eyebrow. "You are bluffing. That's a myth and everyone knows it."

"Myth?" I laughed. "It must be a Five Million Dollar myth then, cause that's what I paid for it."

***_-Scene Change-_***

Rydel had led us back into the garage part of the shop. At his order all of the mechanics left. When we were alone he spoke again. "You are telling me that you have access to the missing Prototype Model?"

"One went missing?" I laughed. "Well, I bought it when he just finished making it. It was from the guy back in Cerulean with the bike shop, I forget what his name was. Anyway, he said that if it ever needed repairs I could call him, but for some reason I cant get in contact with him. Every time I try it says the number has been disconnected. So I figured I'd bring my business to you." I then stopped and looked at him. "So, why is the Prototype a myth?"

"I'm not telling you anything." He said, eyeballing me. "Everything you have said so far anyone could pull of the internet. Show me the bike, and then we can talk."

"Alright, but its banged up pretty bad." I dug into my book bag, bringing out the four item holders I stored the bike parts in. "You see, it was so damaged that it wouldn't close. So I took it apart and stored it this way." I pushed the buttons, releasing it on the ground. The parts laid in order, the way they were disassembled.

He walked around, inspecting the parts and then shifted through them. "Nice, real nice." He said, looking at me. "All unmarked parts. All without serial numbers." He then turned the front section of the bike over. "This right here will tell if you are telling the truth or you are one of the scum that stole the parts from the factory before they were labeled." He pressed the release seal on the hood, raising it up and looking at the engine. His eyes grew wide as he let the hood rest back down where it was. "So… Its true."

"I told you." He stood up, looking at me. "So are you going to tell me about the Prototype? Why is it a myth?"

"One of the Prototypes went missing shortly after being tested. Everyone thought that the creator still had it, or it was lost in transit. But that's not what everyone knows it for. The Prototypes had an engine that was too modified for the road. The N.V.S.C. put a smaller engine in it that has about one third of the horse power." He then paused. "Tell me, how fast have you got it up to?"

"Well, I've red lined it in fourth gear at 200 something…" I then scratched my head. "I was too afraid to put it into fifth."

"Amazing." He then signed, nudging over the parts with his foot. "It looks like the engine and transmission are the only parts that seem like they don't need repair."

"Okay, well, how much will it cost to get it fixed?"

"I couldn't give you an exact, but I would have to make the innards from scratch. The body I can piece together from the SS model." He then looked at me. "It would be cheaper for you to buy a new one."

"No, I want to repair this one." I then smiled. "I got a lot of fond memories of it."

"Well…" Rydel put his hand to his chin. "I would be working on this for a few days… maybe even a week… I'm just throwing you a ballpark estimate, but I would say about $200,000. Give or take a few grand."

"Wow…" I said, "Takin' me to the cleaners arnt you?"

"Hey, I told you. You could buy a new SS for 150 thousand."

I signed, turning around and heading out. "Do what you have to. I'll be back later in the week. I'll leave my number with the girl upfront."

***_-Scene Change-_***

We made our way to the pokemon center, but this time around we got a very different reaction than our first run through this town. With the three mice hanging out, one on each shoulder and Pichu on my head, no one said anything, but everyone gave us terrible looks, _Why? If I were to guess I would say its because 'Magma's' don't have electric type pokemon, only 'Aqua's' do._

To my surprise the pokemon center here was very desolate. Of course there were no trainers, but not there was literally nothing going on, that was if you were not including the group of people watching the television in the waiting room. I didn't pay them any mind, instead I made my way over to the PC in the corner of the room.

"Lets see here…" I said, accessing my bank account back in Kanto. I scrolled down the list of transactions, looking for the subtotal at the bottom, and when I found it my jaw almost hit the table. "What?!" I screamed, standing up and causing the people in the room next to me to look. I half heartedly laughed as I sat back down. In the scare Pichu, Minun and Plusel jumped off of me. The two mice spied the television and ran in there, sitting directly in front of it as Pichu climbed up on my lap.

"Darn…" I said, scratching my head as I looked at the transactions. "I know things here are expensive, but really? How can I only have 100 thousand dollars left? It'll cost me 200 thousand just to get my bike fixed." I then took a deep breath, thinking back to those really big ticket items I bought. "A private island for a bird that will never use it, and a holographic projection room for a woman that doesn't love me." I then looked down at Pichu. "Welp, looks like we are either going to have to find a stupid guy giving out nuggets, or fight a crap ton of battles in the next week."

"Pi?" Pichu tilted his head, looking at me odd.

"Oh yeah," I chuckled, "I forgot, that was before you came into this world." Scooping him up I stood, letting him crawl up on my shoulder and then sit on my head. We walked into the next room, spying Plusel and Minun sitting only a few inches away from the television watching a bunch of trainers racing on their pokemon.

"Yeah, right here!" one of the men said who was watching the video too. "Right here at this turn, that is what always gets me."

I watched, confused as I saw the people riding on the pokemon take a hard turn, slamming against a wall and then running almost at a eighty degree angle down a mountain.

"I havent even made it that far," another one said. "My Camerupt can only make it to the water skip part. No mater how much I try it, it just cant handle the water."

"Try training in water." I said.

The group of people stopped talking, looking at me standing in the doorway.

"And how am I suppose to do that?" The man said, standing up. "What, are you some kind of Aqua?"

"Pft," I grinned, "As if. I'm just new here. A trainer wondering through. So, what's up?" I then pointed to the television. "What are you all watching?"

"You don't know about the Poke'-A-Thon?" A girl asked.

"No? Should I?"

"Alright new-b, listen up." Another woman said as she paused the TV, causing Plusel and Minun to snap out of their little trance and run out the door into the hallway, playing tag. "It's a race that people compete in with their pokemon. It's a group effort that is rewarded with a prize. The trail runs from Mauville, through Oldale, up to Verdanturf and then back to Mauville. It's a 125 mile trip that is done in less than three hours."

_125 miles in three hours? That like… 40 miles an hour. _"So is it going on right now?"

"Nah," a guy said, pressing play on the remote as they all started to watch again. "This is just a recording of the one last year. It's held every year, and the next one is in two weeks. We are all boning up on the track so we have a better chance. "

I thought about this, taking it in as I saw Mauville come into sight on the video. It was a straight stretch; a quick burst would take that player from fifth to first. I watched all of them, taking it in. "You said there was a prize? How much of a prize?"


	7. Getting Ready

**Chapter 7**

**Getting Ready**

There were signs all over Mauville about the Poke-A-Thon, honestly I was surprised that I didn't see one on my way in. The flyer said there was a grand prize of $250,000 dollars. The rules from what I learned about the flyer said that you had to finish with the same pokemon you started with. The use of multiple pokemon was aloud, but you had to always be on one during the race. During the course there are checkpoints or items things that you have to pick up, verifying that you met a checkpoint. All of that seemed like it was fairly straight forward, but the only part that seemed bad to me was the entry fee. To buy a place into the race was $50,000, _which I paid just moments ago_. A problem that I was having was registering my pokemon. I could only carry the ones with me on the race that I previously had registered.

I held the ticket up in the air, looking at the sun through the paper. _The packet and brochure they gave told a lot about the course, but I knew where I would have to go to actually see it first hand, and then I could decide which pokemon I would take with me… but there was only one problem. _I looked behind me, seeing Plusle and Minun playing under a tree beside the bench Pichu and I were sitting at.

"I would love to run this course before the race, it's only a few days away and the only thing I have found out about it was from watching that video in the pokecenter." The two mice ran after each other, going up the tree, then down it and around it. "But those two… they are going to drive me crazy if I take them along with me. Besides that they wouldn't be much help."

I sighed, looking around and seeing a payphone across the street. My eyes opened wide as an idea struck. "Of course!" I said, jumping up and running to the phone. I flipped open the phone book that was attached beside it, skimming down the list and across the pages before finding what I was looking for. I plugged in the number letting ring and hearing an old lady pick up. With a smile on my face I closed the door behind me, watching the two mice play under the tree.

***_-Scene Change-_***

We road out of town on Arcanine, heading west. I really did like the praise we were getting, _I mean, it was better than getting yelled at all the time like in the other towns._ At the edge of the town I saw the pokemon gym, but the place was all boarded up. The windows and doors were covered in wooden planks, and graffiti riddled the exterior walls.

"That's sad." I said, turning my head as it faded in the distance. "But I have more important things right now." I looked ahead seeing a small building with a huge fenced in area behind it. Small pokemon were playing on some little playground equipment. I smiled, jumping off Arcanine as the three mice jumped on my shoulder and head. _Oh man, I can't wait to get those two out of my hair. _We headed in the house, recalling Arcanine as the door closed behind us.

The inside was much like a pokecenter. There was a PC in the corner, a front desk, and pictures of pokemon all over the walls.

"Hello," an elderly lady said as she walked behind the counter. "What can I do for you?"

"Well, you see," I reached up, picking both Minin and Plusle off my shoulders. "These little guys need a place to stay while I go on a… business trip." _Nice, Kyle! That one sounded good!_ "I was wondering what your rats, I mean, rates are?"

"Plu?", "Mine?", The two asked, turning around to look at me confused.

"Oh, our rates are quite low actually." The lady said as she took out a book from under the table. "We prefer payment in advance, but you can play later if you wish."

"I can pay now." I smiled, taking out my wallet. "How much would it be for, say two weeks for both of them?"

"PLUS?!", "MINEN!?" They two jumped, and at the same time I heard a little mousy chuckle come from upon my head.

"Our rates are usually $100 a day for each pokemon, but since these two are so small I doubt they would take much food."

"Oh they don't eat very much at all." I said, patting each on the head. "Just a few berries ever now and again. Nothing special. They are pretty happy with any kind really."

"In that case," the lady said as opened the book. "I would say we could accommodate them for two weeks with $7,000."

"Sounds good to me." I smiled, holding out my bankcard. "Please put it on debit."

***_-Scene Change-_***

The sun was bright, and I must say, it was nice being just Pichu, Arcaine and I on the road again. I know that it was just a few minutes out of town, but to have some piece and quite for a change really helped with my nerves.

The town had faded behind us a few moments ago, and the trail we followed was more like a dirt road. We were on a hill, riding on Arcanine when we saw the start line for the Poke-A-Thon. Below us at the foot of the hill was an opened field, tables and booths set up with a giant banner over a dirt path that lead off into the woods. In the distance, over the trees, you could see the ocean off to the left, mountains to the right, and the city behind us.

I jumped off Arcanine, placing my hand on his side as Pichu sat on my shoulder. We all stared at the beautiful scene, taking it all in as a voice came up behind us, braking the silence.

"Well, it looks as thought my eyes didn't deceive me!" I heard a man's voice say. I turned around, seeing Arcanine's head turn behind as well, and saw a man walking up to us with a huge smile on his face. He was rather tall, with a long gray beard and white hair that was unkept on his balding head. He was wearing a brown long sleeve shirt and tan cargo pants with brown boots. Not to mention, he was also a bit on the hefty side. "It brings me joy to see a sporting up-coming young trainer like yourself in our fine region."

He walked up to us, looking down at me and then placing his hand out to Pichu. Pichu flinched, raising one eyebrow and looking at the man before sniffing his hand. He then smiled a mousy little smile and climbed up on the stranger's arm, and then shoulder.

"Hmm" I smiled, watching Pichu inspect his new friend.

"So, you are not afraid of me?" The man asked, looking at Pichu, then to me. "That I might just take this very well trained pokemon?"

"How did you know I was a trainer?" I asked, watching Pichu tug at some of the hairs coming out of the man's ear.

"HAHAHA!" The man laughed. "I am one of the few people here who could appreciate the dedication it takes to become a Pokemon Master, Mr. Gray!"

I jumped, my eyes darting back and forth. _Whats up with this guy? Was he followed? How does me know me? I thought this place was full of people that didn't care about the league. _

"HAHA!" He laughed. "Don't worry, no one knows about you. I haven't, and wont breath a word about this." He then picked Pichu up and put him on the back of Arcanine, who was still eyeing the man.

"Alright," I said, keeping my distance. "Then what do you want?"

"The same thing you do." He then smiled, holding up a badge in his hand. "I am Wattson, leader of the Mauville City Gym, and this is a Dynamo Badge."

"Hmph." I smiled, lowering my guard. "So you want a fight? Because I would be happy to give you one." I reached for a pokeball off my belt.

"No, not now." He said, crossing his arms as he turned away. "I want to make sure you are good enough to face me first."

_What did he say?!_ "Good enough?!" I looked at him shocked. "Is a two time league champion not 'good enough' for you?"

He smiled, turning to look at me over his shoulder. "Lets just say that ten years is a long time to train. And in those ten years one could acquire quite rare pokemon that are not… how shall we say, normal?"

I stared at him blanking, not knowing where this was going.

"I'll make you a deal," Wattson said. "If you can manage to beat me in the Poke-A-Thon that is happening in two weeks, I will give you the chance to fight me in an official Pokemon Gym Battle."

"Then you better have your pokemon picked out when you cross that finish line." I spoke as he walked away. "Because I will be waiting for you at your gym!" Before long he was out of sight, vanishing into the woods. I turned to Arcanine, seeing Pichu high on his back looking into the woods at Wattson as he left.

"Not good enough." I huffed, jumping and climbing on Arcanine's back. "Who does he think he is? Not good enough, please." I swallowed my pride, looking out at the road that lay ahead of us. It curved, turned and passed through the woods, on the beach and from there I couldn't tell.

"Okay, Arcanine." I said, patting him on the side. "First time through this we are going to take it slow. I want to know the turns, the curves, and the obstacles before they hit us." With that we took off, running on the trail into the wooded path.

***_-Scene Change-_***

The first part of the path was pretty straightforward. It was all down hill, curvy wooded areas and boulders every now and again. After the woods there came up a beach, which was nice and sandy, but the soft sand made getting any traction or footing darn near impossible. This would be the time that I would have to switch to another pokemon, perhaps Pidgeot.

After about ten miles of sand the trail shot off to the right, heading back into the woods, but this time it was through a swamp. The wrong footing here and you would be stuck in the muck. Also, flying above it was out of the question because there were three checkpoints in the foliage of the swamp itself. If Scizor could pull it off, he would be a great asset in this part of the race.

After the swamp there was a huge lake, and in the dead center of the lake was a check station with a dock around it. I took the pokeball off my belt, through it and releasing Gyarados into the water. The serpent smiled, stretched and then began to dive in and out of the water, stretching and moving for the first time in almost a week.

When he was done he swam close to the bank and Arcanine jumped on to his body, running up his back and resting on his head. Gyarados then began to swing, crossing the large lake and resting on the other side just long enough to get recalled. "That was great," I said to the two. "When the real thing comes we are going to do just that. Ride Gyarados over and then hit the ground on this side with an Extreme Speed attack!"

The next area passed right by a town, and then took a hard sharp turn up a mountain. The mountain was huge, and at the peak was the extinct volcano that made the Hoeen Islands. It was steep, long, rocky and had very rough terrain. Before long the trees vanished, and all that was seen was boulders. At the very top was another check station, and then a sharp turn the right with a obstacle course that looked very familiar. The part was I looking at was the part I saw in the video. This section you had to be on a landed pokemon that is running. There were ropes to jump over, poles to navigate through, and even a maze to go through. The last turn the maze happens right after a straight path and then a gravel 90-degree turn with only a thin wall separating you from the edge of the crater in the volcano. _No wonder that guy said this turn always gets him._ After that there is a huge 20-30 mile straight stretch down the mountain and back into Mauville City.

We ran the course, over and over again, getting the paths down and the pokemon ready for when their turn was coming up. Scizor didn't take well to the idea of toting me around in his arms for about 30 miles, but with a little convincing it would make him stronger and faster, he agreed to comply. Sadly, I was using Arcanine more than any other pokemon, but it needed to be done. The rules said that I would have to be on a pokemon through the whole course, it didn't say it only had to be one single one, I just needed to be on a pokemon at all times.

I had my order picked, and after a short two weeks of training, the day of the race was upon us. Trainers were everywhere, all showing off their pokemon and bragging about the spot they placed the previous year. In the corner of my eye I saw a girl with bright red hair, blood red eyes, and was wearing a black shirt. In that instance I was taken back to the first time I saw Ricky, but then quickly pushed the thought out of my head as I sat on the back of Arcanine.

"Well, you showed up!" I heard that same voice say from behind me. I turned around seeing Wattson. I started to shake, jaw dropped as I looked at the pokemon he was riding.

They rode up to us, his pokemon standing just as tall as Arcanine as we both towered above everyone else standing in line. No on there but I seemed to notice the rare beast that stood beside me.

Wattson laughed, patting the yellow haired legend on the side. "Yep! Me and Zappy here enter and won last year too." I was still jaw dropped, looking around and then back to the dog that looked just as calm as Arcanine.

"Where on earth did you get a… a…" I stuttered.

"A Raikou?" Wattson finished, then laughed again. "A Raikou is born every time two lighting bolts strike the same area at the same time. There are more out there than you think, but the sad thing is if no one is around to take care of it, they usually die." He smiled, petting Zappy on the head making sparks fly out of it's tail and fur.

"I can't believe no one here is doing anything or… even looking at your… legendary pokemon." I said flabbergasted as I looked around. No one was paying any attention, with the exception of the one girl from before. Her red eyes were fixed on us. Her eyes burned like flames, cutting a hole right into my very soul. I couldn't tell if it was hate, or lust over Raikou, Arcanine, or the chance at this title.

I noticed Wattson turn his head, looking at the girl. When he did she quickly turned away and headed to her starting position.

"That is Flannery." Wattson said. "Word of advice, I think she means business this time around."

"Yeah…" I said, still looking at the huge puppy that the man was riding. _That thing acts like is only a few years old. He must have found it recently. It still has its puppy coat._ I remembered back in the end of my Johto league, when Arcanine had completely lost his. _It takes about two or three years to get that out of their system before they grow into their adult fur. I wonder… what else has he done in those ten years?_

"Racers!" a voice said over some loud speakers. "In a few moments the Poke-A-Thon race will begin! The rules are simple! You must stay on a pokemon at all times! You may not touch the ground or you will be disqualified! You must finish the race on the same pokemon you started on! To complete the race you must go to every checkpoint! When you pass within twenty feet of the checkpoint your digital pager which you received with your qualifying notice will react and clock your point completion! Please assemble your pagers at this time!" There was a brief silence as I and several other people dug into their bags to bring out their small pagers. _Hmm… I was wondering what that was for._

"Thank you all for entering this year!" The announcer spoke again. "Video feeds will be monitoring your every move, and recordings are available after the race. Please, be safe and may the best pokemon combo win!" There was a pause as a light above the banner began to slowly turn from red, to yellow, and finally to green. In an instance, everyone was off, running down the dirt path that lead to either the break of a lifetime, or the route down debtors prison.


End file.
